“I’ve sat in that room more times than I care to count, and the script that lands best is almost always the shortest one. Say the decision, say it’s final, and then stop talking, because after that every extra word you add is for your own comfort, not theirs.”

“I script the hard part first, say it early, and stop trying to make it sound warm. The kindest thing in that room is clarity, because this person has six years and two kids and they need to know exactly where they stand so they can plan.”

“The coldness isn't in the words, it's in the structure legal handed you. I always open by saying this will be a difficult conversation, state the decision is final, explain why plainly, then stop talking because they won't hear anything after we're letting you go.”

“I once walked a six-year employee to her car carrying her things while she cried about daycare pickup; I stayed with her until she could breathe, because dignity in the exit mattered more than the script. Say the decision plainly in the first sentence, then stop talking and let them feel it before you ever mention severance or next steps.”

“I remember crying in the car after firing my friend. It gutted me, but I had to do it. The script isn't what makes it human; you showing up, looking them in the eye, and not dragging it out is what does. Say the decision, say you're sorry it's ending this way, then stop talking and let them breathe.”

“I fired 12 people in six months taking over CloudKitchens Korea, and the ones that stayed with me were never the performance cases, it was when the role just disappeared under someone good. No script fixes that, so I stopped trying to make it sound okay and started saying plainly: this is the decision, here is what we are doing for you, and here is the person who will answer every question after you leave this room.”

“The script sounds cold because it is trying to protect you from the moment, not because the words are wrong. I have sat in that room, and the only line that ever landed was the true one: this is the decision, it is not a negotiation, and I am here to help you leave with dignity. Say that, then stop talking.”

“I once had to fire a woman who was pregnant, and I practiced the script until I could say it without my voice cracking, because warmth lives in your tone, not your adjectives. Say the decision plainly in the first sentence, then stop talking: I'm sorry, and I know this is hard, is enough. The dignity is in not dragging it out.”

“I learned the hard way that trying to explain too much makes it worse. My first firing was on Skype, I rambled, and it caught him off guard. Now I keep it direct: it is their last day, here is what happens next with pay and loose ends, and we walk them out with dignity. The script sounds cold because you are trying to make it feel okay; it will not feel okay, so make it clear and fair instead.”