'Shark Tank' star Barbara Corcoran hit with backlash after saying she 'loves firing people on Fridays'

vt-author-image

By stefan armitage

Article saved!Article saved!

Barbara Corcoran has been faced with criticism after saying that she "loves" to fire people on Fridays.

The 73-year-old Shark Tank star has clearly made a series of incredibly successful choices in her life, with her savvy entrepreneurial mind making her one of the most recognizable businesswomen in the US.

However, although many of us are aware that business leaders have got to have somewhat of a cutthroat mindset when it comes to managing a company, Corcoran's recent comments on the Diary of a CEO podcast have been met with backlash.

Speaking on the popular business podcast with host Steven Bartlett, Corcoran revealed that she "loves" to fire people on Fridays.

Corcoran's comments were recently shared by the @RichCorporate TikTok page, and have left many social media users unimpressed.

"What I would do is call someone into my office on Friday," she said, adding: "I love firing people on Fridays."

The Shark Tank star then explained how she would set up the firing meeting in the days prior and commented how the individual on the chopping block would have "heard about the rumors" by the time the meeting had rolled around.

She said: "I would stop by someone's desk on a Wednesday and say, 'Hey! Do you have some time on Friday?'

"They should have heard about the rumors..."

When the time and place was set, Corcoran gleefully exclaimed: "Great! See ya at 2!"

"I couldn't wait to fire them," she added.

Attempting to clarify her delight at firing people at the end of the working week, Corcoran explained that she was only referring to "individuals who were negative" - who she described as "chronic complainers".

"My attitude toward the negative person is that they were ruining my good kids," she explained. "People who are negative have to have somebody else to be negative with."

She also explained how she would go about explaining to the individual that their time in the company was over. "I learned very early, after firing one negative person, never tell them why you’re firing them or you’re getting a rat's nest," she said. "'You just don’t fit the company.'"

However, although many people in the video's comments section could agree that it is okay to rid your company of negative people, social media users took issue with Corcoran's "love" of firing people on a Friday.

"One should NEVER be giddy about firing people," one viewer commented. "I’ve been a business leader for 15+ years. This is the one thing I hate."

A second added: "Being so happy about firing someone is messed."

Another asked: "How toxic is she?"

"I agree with the idea of getting rid of negativity but not enjoying firing people," a fourth added, with a fifth writing: "I never enjoy firing anybody but toxic employees ruin a company and opportunities for the good ones."

But Corcoran certainly had her fair share of supporters, with one person writing: "All the negative people who got fired are in these comments."

What do you think of Corcoran's comments? Let us know in the comments section. And, you can check out her full interview below:

Featured image credit: Image Press Agency / Alamy