In baseball and HR, three strikes and you’re out. So, if you fire someone and they’re surprised, you need to reexamine your ability to manage and lead your team. Sometimes no matter how many times you tell someone they’re not performing and meeting expectations, they just don't get it. However, more times than not, managers and leaders want to avoid confrontation and they don't ever address the issues with someone and instead avoid the person. That's being a horrible leader or manager. Let’s say you open at 7:00 am and your assistant rolls in at 7:05. Young dentists are mad but don’t say anything. The better managers, as soon as time permits will call the employee back into their private office and explain the problem, open up a word document and leave while the assistant types out in their own words what went wrong and explains why it won’t be a reoccurring problem. Many times, you comeback to learn that she does this because she always stays an hour after we close while the other assistant flies out the door and she doesn’t think it’s fair. This is what you need know so you can build a winning team as opposed to other more common method where the first time it made you mad and you didn’t say anything. The second time it made you madder and you still didn’t say anything. Then the third time you erupt like a volcano and fire them. This person had no idea this was going to happen, they have monthly bills they need to pay, and now they’re shocked, saddened, and unemployed, all because their coach never showed up for the game. Watch any professional game and watch how the coach is intimately involved during the entire game, standing at the sidelines calling in plays, time outs, etcetera. Now watch Doc go back to their private office in between every patient and shut the door. If this is you, then you need to delegate to an office manager that has the same authority to make plays that match their responsibility. You’re either the coach or a player, cuz you can’t be both. So, play ball... and okay to win.