Barbara Corcoran Reveals Why Bad Attitude Is the #1 Reason for Firing Employees

Shark Tank investor and real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran has a strict hiring and firing rule: a bad attitude is an immediate dealbreaker. In a recent episode of The Burnouts podcast, she shared why she prioritizes attitude over skills when building her teams.

Corcoran recounted hiring her first salesperson from another firm and investing over a year-and-a-half in training. Despite her efforts, one critical flaw remained unchangeable: the employee’s negative attitude. This experience solidified her belief that while skills can be taught, attitude cannot.

“I learned a very valuable lesson: [if you] have somebody who has a bad attitude, they’re going to suck up other people into their attitude,” Corcoran said. She emphasized that one person’s negativity can quickly spread, contaminating the entire workplace culture.

To protect her team’s morale, Corcoran takes swift action. “I fire people with a bad attitude right away,” she stated. “I don’t want them to contaminate other employees’ mindsets.” Her approach is clear: “The minute I see a complainer, I make an appointment to fire them.”

Corcoran has spoken openly about the destructive impact of negative attitudes in past interviews. In an episode of Diary of a CEO, she called complainers “thieves” who drain both energy and productivity. “They take your money away and they take your energy, and the most valuable asset you have is your energy,” she explained. “If they take your energy away, you’re not going to deliver enough to everybody else—there’s not enough to go around.”

When it comes to firing, Corcoran prefers Fridays—a practice that has drawn past criticism but remains unchanged. Her firing script is concise and final: “I say, ‘It’s not working out; you don’t fit in here.’” She avoids lengthy explanations, having learned early on that arguing rarely resolves anything. “The first time I fired someone, I tried to explain what was lacking, and you never win the argument,” she noted. “You’re better off saying, ‘You just don’t fit in here.’”

Despite the firm approach, Corcoran insists her intentions aren’t cruel. She ensures employees leave with a clear path forward, often guiding them toward roles where they could thrive. “I would tell them where they would fit in, what kind of job would make them very, very successful,” she said. “My partner used to say, when I fired someone, they walked out like they got a promotion.”

For Corcoran, maintaining a positive workplace culture is non-negotiable. She believes leaders must actively protect their teams from negativity, even if it means making tough decisions. Her philosophy is simple: hire for attitude, fire the toxic, and keep the energy high.