Patricia,
Good response. The dismissal should not be a surprise if the employee has been on performance improvement plan. Establishing goals and followup to review progress is an important part of the proess. Preparation for delivering the message that your employee is being terminated is important as well. I am glad that you recommended that another person be with you when you deliver the message, just as a precautionary measure. As you say, it is also best to keep it brief and not get into a debate regarding the facts.
Pat
