Why You Should SACK or Transfer Disloyal Staff Before It's Too Late

By Anayo M. Nwosu

I watched as the wife of Thomas Sankara, the former First Lady of Burkina Faso narrated how her husband's best friend, Blaise Compaore and the second in command in her husband's government, conspired with foreign powers and enemies within to dethrone and kill her husband.

Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi's case was even more pathetic as Lt. Col Alexander Madiebo, an army officer from Ironsi's ethnic group who got wind of an impending assassination of Ironsi  and overthrow of his military government by some officers as a reprisal for Major Nzeogwu's lope-sided elimination of Northern Nigerian political elite in 1966, met and told Ironsi about the plot.

Gen Ironsi reprimanded Madiebo, the tale-bearer, before those very officers he accused of hatching the plot.

The coup planners had to bring forward the killing of Gen. Ironsi and the take over of the military government of Nigeria for the safety of those involved and to avert the consequences of further leakage.

Major Gen. Buhari was to repeat the Ironsi mistake when he treated with levity, a clear report forewarning him of an impending overthrow of his regime. Gen Buhari merely summoned the accused coup plotters and confronted them with the rumour.

Of course, the arrowheads of the coup denied and pledged their loyalty to Buhari who was removed from office much earlier than planned.

But Gen. Sani Abacha would not hear of that. As an experienced coup plotter and executor, immediately he became Nigeria's head of state, he treated every rumour as true and actioned on any suspicion.

I'm still befuddled why Jesus didn't deal with Judas after he became aware that Judas was intent on betraying him. Jesus had all evidence that Judas, as the treasurer of his ministry was stealing from the purse as captured in John 12:6 but he took no action.


Jesus also knew Judas as a liar and the one who would sell him to the leaders of Israel, many days and hours before Judas struck, but Jesus didn't do anything. We were told that it had to happen; that Jesus' destiny was sealed perhaps. That could be the reason why he indulged Judas till the end.

Do you share the same destiny with Jesus? Would you keep habouring a subordinate or employee even with mountainous evidence of his or her disloyal or subterranean tendencies?

Don't give a second chance to a traitor! Forgive the person once discovered but quickly sack him or her because a bowed head of a captured armed robber does not translate to repentance.

Activate an intelligence gathering mechanism in your office to enable you understand the mind of your employees or subordinates. You could periodically set a trap for them and dismiss the trapped. Mounting closed circuit television cameras in and around your office could help but that is not enough.

If you notice that your subordinate, especially the second most senior officer in your organization, has started building linkages and would always be seen within and around the ultimate boss' office, immediately plot for his/her transfer or sack otherwise, you would wake up one morning to find yourself replaced.

If you gather, hear or suspect that your ambitious female subordinate and also your second officer in charge has started sleeping with your own boss, be real. Start plotting your own exit from that location or from the organization.

It is not a prayer matter. Just move or you shall be moved.

Jesus himself said in Matthew 11:12 "that from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."

Then imagine what is obtainable in the kingdom of men, offices or power stable. Disloyal staff are more men and women of violence.

Being that a chain is strongest at its weakest point, the noncommittal staff is the weak link and your vulnerable through him or her. Yes!  The strength of a masquerade lies in those around him.

A disloyal staff is an open window through which you shall be attacked. Close it!

Therefore, fish out that disloyal person in your team or employ today and sack or transfer him/her far away from you.

If the person is a close relation, apply the wisdom Abraham exhibited in Gen 13:5-13. Separate from him. Don't live with him. If need be maintain the distance Esau did from Jacob after he was hoodwinked.

Don't make the Gen. Ironsi's or Major Gen. Buhari's mistakes. Just sack the person even if you were wrong in assumption. It is better and safe for because no disloyal staff would own up to his or her devices.


Any victim of sack or transfer on the suspicion of treachery or disloyalty should not overly blame the boss. The person was caught in a friendly fire. The wrong accusation is regrettable but essential.

If your employee starts questioning your authority over him by overt or covert body language or disobedient conducts, sack him or her immediately. Don't waste time. Do it immediately.

Oh yes! There is always a crack before a collapse. A cock might have grown teeth overnight.

Don't re-engage any staff you sacked for trust related issue. He or she may be on a revenge mission. You could re-employ staff who resigned on their own but never a sacked ex-staff. It is dangerous.

If you are a smart subordinate and you work under an unsure, incompetent and insecure boss, start scheming on how to move immediately. If you are sacked doing so, don't worry, it still would have happened. You surely would be deemed disloyal and an enemy if you don't port.

It is a double-edged sword. The person aiming to kill a poisonous snake should be careful and be on alert because the snake being hounded could strike the hunter first in a surprise attack.

Working in office especially at the management level is more like a game of chase. Play it well.

A staff working in a corporate environment should be smart to identify the possible CEOs amongst the top management staff cadre and should perfect the act of switching loyalty when a change of guard occurs.

It is safest to be demonstrably loyal to your immediate boss than to be suspected of being disloyal due to cool attitude. Be warm in greeting your bosses all the time. It is compulsory in armed forces.

Always note that the loyalty of a vice or 2iC rated at 99.9% is equivalent to 0% loyalty.

It is a zero sum game.