Erica,
Dismissal or termination should not come as a surprise to the employee. Even so, it is important to plan for that dismissal as you would any meeting with an employee. A dismissal is a progressive process starting with the identification of issues and assistance with fixing the deficiencies. When efforts fail, the next step is dismissal. I agree with you that this step needs to occur in private but will usually involve HR to make certain there is a witness to verify the process. Be factual in the discussion so the information is crystal clear.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
