I adore squid, especially teppanyaki-style. But I dislike the connotation behind the phrase "fired"—being forced to pack up and leave, which starkly reflects a brutal dynamic of oppression and subjugation.
Humans are social creatures who spend most of their lives diligently working, both to support their families and to create value.For employers, if employees fail to deliver value, they may face the fate of being "fired." For employees, if their efforts still don't yield what they desire, they can always "quit." Individuals and companies are always in a relationship of mutual choice. Therefore, those who fire others needn't be arrogant, and those who are fired needn't be gloomy.
Yet whether firing or being fired, the emotional toll is never pleasant. A finance manager at a small company hired a new accountant for a three-month probationary period. During those months, the two women got along well—chatting and laughing daily, grabbing lunch together, shopping, and offering each other advice.As the probation period neared its end, the senior woman began to hesitate: should she offer the junior woman a permanent position?
In terms of interpersonal skills, the junior woman clearly passed the test—evidenced by her ability to go shopping with her boss. Yet when it came to work competence, she fell short. She was careless, frequently making errors even in simple accounts.She was repeatedly told to be meticulous, but her ears heard the words without her heart taking them to heart. The next time, she made the same mistakes again. Because of this, other colleagues in the finance department had some complaints about her, as every error she made wasted their time and energy.Yet after working together for some time, a bond had formed. She couldn't bring herself to fire the young woman outright. Besides, jobs were hard to come by these days, and this was the young woman's first position. "Fire her" or "keep her"? For the first time in her life, the senior woman experienced the agony of being the bad guy.She even regretted not projecting authority from the start, letting her guard down and growing too close to this new recruit, which had led to this awkward predicament. She couldn't bear to imagine the young woman's devastation upon hearing she was being fired—the thought unsettled her deeply.After weighing the company's interests against their fragile personal bond, the senior woman resolutely decided to confront the junior one. At home, she rehearsed her dismissal speech with her husband—explaining why the junior woman wasn't suited for the role, emphasizing she had no personal grievances, and wishing her better opportunities.
Finally, they sat across from each other in the clean, bright conference room. Unexpectedly, the younger woman spoke first: "Through this period of practice, I've realized I'm not suited for finance work. I've decided to resign."
The older woman suddenly felt a pang of disappointment. All her rehearsed lines went unused—the younger woman had effectively fired her instead.
The younger woman smiled brightly: "Thank you so much for your guidance and mentorship. I've learned a great deal during this time and gained clarity about what suits me and what doesn't. I hold no grievances toward the company. I'm resigning simply because I wish to pursue a role that better aligns with my strengths and chart my own path forward."
Observing the younger woman's straightforward honesty, and reflecting on her own earlier inner turmoil, the older woman felt a sudden clarity—in truth, who fires whom matters little; it's merely a formality. What truly counts is whether we can gain what we seek from our work, be it material rewards or spiritual fulfillment.
The workplace is like a grand kitchen, where everyone has the chance to showcase their culinary skills—some rise to become head chefs, while others remain assistants. This may stem from individual talent or differences in professional experience.A chef can tell an assistant, "You're not doing a good job; I don't want you here anymore." An assistant can also take off their apron and say, "The kitchen conditions are too poor; I don't want to work here anymore." But the chef needn't feel overly triumphant or regretful about it. Perhaps one day, when you walk into another restaurant to order, the chef in the back will be the very assistant you once fired. Because, regardless of culinary skill, the power to fire always lies in one's own hands.