When You Know It's Not Working: Navigating Employee Transitions with Integrity
Oct 14, 2025You hired them with high hopes. You've implemented training programs, offered additional support, created performance improvement plans. But that nagging feeling won't go away: this just isn't working. What do you do when you know the inevitable is coming?
Anna and Kendall dive into one of leadership's most dreaded scenarios: managing employee transitions when team members simply aren't the right fit. This isn't about quick fixes or avoiding difficult conversations—it's about navigating the complex emotional and practical realities that every practice owner eventually faces.
The conversation begins with a truth bomb: "Making a hire to our team is still a leap of faith at the end of the day," as Kendall acknowledges. No matter how sophisticated your hiring process, some employees won't work out. The real question is how you handle it.
Anna reframes these challenging situations with wisdom gained from experience: "Sometimes a hire isn't just about the skill set of bringing somebody on board. It's actually about the growth of the team and the growth of us as leaders as well, through that experience." This perspective transforms what feels like failure into an opportunity for organizational growth.
The hosts share the early warning signs they've learned to recognize over years of practice ownership. Scheduling and attendance issues top the list. As Kendall explains, "It's energetically, it's a sign that they're, they don't have two feet in to being on your team and that's a problem." But recognizing the signs is only the beginning—knowing when and how to act is where true leadership skill emerges.
One of the most valuable discussions centers on a question that keeps practice owners up at night: when do you intervene versus when do you let situations unfold naturally? The complexity deepens when employees face medical or family challenges. The hosts navigate this delicate territory with both legal awareness and human compassion.
Perhaps the most powerful advice comes from Kendall's reflection on trusting intuition: "Always listen to your gut... I catch myself and I have to remind myself, Kendall, you think that you're listening to your gut all the time. But why did you make this decision? Why did you let this happen? Because you did a major override of how you were actually feeling." How many practice owners can relate to overriding their instincts, only to regret it months later?
The episode shifts into practical territory with specific strategies for preparation. Both hosts emphasize maintaining detailed employee files from day one—documentation that feels tedious until you desperately need it. As Anna notes, comprehensive record-keeping is "an absolutely crucial part of being an employer."
When the time comes for termination conversations, Kendall provides a critical safeguard: "Always have a third party present... have a witness there to take notes so that there's no question on what was said and what's happening." This protects everyone involved during an emotionally charged moment.
Throughout the discussion, both hosts balance business necessity with genuine compassion. They distinguish between situations requiring immediate action (toxic behavior, safety concerns) and those where a more gradual transition serves everyone better.
If you've been losing sleep over an employee situation, wondering if you're being too harsh or too lenient, questioning your judgment or second-guessing your gut—this episode offers the validation and practical guidance you need. Because as Anna and Kendall prove, you're not alone in facing these challenges, and there are ways to navigate them with both integrity and effectiveness.
For information regarding the upcoming retreat, go to: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/retreats
Sponsored by Jane App, Jane offers online booking, charting, scheduling, secure video and invoicing on one secure, beautifully designed system: https://jane.app/ Use code wellness1mo for a one-month grace period on your new Jane account.
About Anna Rudel
Anna Rudel, L. Ac is the owner and founder of Lokahi Acupuncture Clinic in San Jose California, founded in 2003. Anna is a master organizer and clinician, and as a Coach she specializes in working with Clinic Owners in the state of California, and Acupuncturists and Acupuncture Clinic Owners, or groups wanting to add Acupuncture worldwide, as well as teams that need support with employee retention and satisfaction. Born in the UK, Anna has traveled extensively in Asia and now has a thriving multi-practitioner clinic in the US!
Anna's Website and Links
- Website: https://lokahiacupuncture.com/
- Learn Group Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/group-coaching
- For info about Individual Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/individual-coaching
About Kendall Hagensen
Kendall is a Somatic Mental Health Therapist, Multidisciplinary Clinic Owner and Business Coach. She specializes in, and is passionate about, working with healthcare professionals to create the businesses of their dreams. Big goals always have a psychological component beneath the surface, so Kendall uses her background in Somatic Psychotherapy and EMDR Therapy mixed with Business Coaching tools to help clients develop a healthy relationship with their business and their strength as a leader.
As someone who lives with a chronic illness herself, Kendall feels that health happens best within community, which is why she takes a holistic, integrative, and collaborative wellness approach to her personal and professional life.
Kendall’s Web/Social Links