All perfectly good reasons to terminate someone.
Companies usually have a secret list of employees they wouldn't mind losing, as well as a list of those who are indispensable.
This Shapiro lady is clearly a hack. I've consulted companies on such issues for as long as she has and have never encountered any such "list". Sure, managers know who wouldn't be missed if they never showed up again, but "secret lists" are for the tinfoil hat crowd.
My guess is this lady is a friend of the writer and wanted her name out there. "Consultants" need to put food on the table, too, you know.
I also love how she discusses "managing out" as an "art form". Please.
I don't know. I've been with the same company for 24 years and have worked for eight vice presidents. I have long been the senior manager in the company because our president simply does not promote VPs from inside the company. The last three or four VPs have been jealous to some degree over my relationship with the Pres because he routinely jumps the chain of command and comes to me directly. Anyway, Vice Pres no. 7 and another manager targeted me and my department heads and some of the assistants. I could do nothing as, one by one all were forced out one way or another.
Our major suppliers became alarmed and one of them invited me to interview with them. They sent me a plane ticket to their corporate HQ, rented me a car and put me up in a nice hotel. It turned out that of the four people who interviewed me, three were old friends I had worked with for years and we spent most of the time chatting about fishing and hunting and how great it would be to work and play together. After the "interview" they took me to lunch followed by a tour of the building and visits with other old friends in the company. That evening we went out drinking together.
Apparently word got back to the Pres of what was going on
When I got back I was called in to a meeting with my boss, VP#7, and VP #8. I was told that I would henceforth report to VP#8 but I would have the same duties. Basically my whole division was shifted to VP#8 and, by the way, I was to receive a 25% raise! Next day, VP#8 called me in and told me he knew all about what was going on, that he was sorry for it and that VP#7 and his protege manager were on the way out along with their clique of managers, assistants and sycophants and could I handle the additional responsibilities that would have to be covered. A year later the executive formerly known as VP#7 has been demoted and now mopes around like a scolded dog and all of his sycophants are gone. I have had another 25% raise and have been allowed to design my own office on the top floor in our new building while my former nemesis will be housed in the basement.
There most certainly are hit lists, though they won't be written down.