A legendary businesswoman’s gleeful admission that she enjoys firing people has been labeled everything from ‘sociopathic’ to ‘inhumane.’
Famed real estate mogul and Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran, 76, is under fire after a resurfaced interview revealed her unapologetic take on employee terminations.
In the viral video, Corcoran says merrily, ‘What I love to do is call someone into my office on Friday… I love firing people on Friday.’
The big-time investor went on to describe the ‘evil’ method she’d employ to let employees go.
‘I would stop by someone’s desk on a Wednesday and say, “Hey! Would you have any time, some time on Friday?”‘ she said with a beaming grin.
After the employee had accepted her seemingly innocuous invitation, Corcoran admitted she could ‘hardly wait’ for the meeting so she could fire them.
‘Yes! What time is good for you? Two? See you at two!’ she recounted gleefully, adding, ‘I couldn’t wait till they came in to fire them!’
Social media has since erupted in outrage, with critics condemning Corcoran’s approach as cruel and toxic.
Real estate mogul and Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran (pictured), 76, is under fire after a resurfaced interview revealed her unapologetic take on employee terminations
In the viral video, Corcoran says merrily, ‘What I love to do is call someone into my office on Friday… I love firing people on Friday,’ the big-time investor went on to describe the ‘evil’ method she’d employ to let employees go
Corcoran’s remarks came during a December 2022 episode of The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett (pictured)
‘This isn’t a leader, this is a sociopathic narcissistic,’ one Facebook user wrote.
‘We all lost respect for that lady,’ another added.
‘Not sure anyone should have a favourite day to “fire” someone,’ a commenter noted, while others were stunned by her delivery: ‘I’m shook at her confidence in “loving to fire” – this is disturbing.’
The backlash was swift and widespread, with many questioning how such cavalier attitudes could be championed by someone in a leadership role.
‘This is the quality of “leaders” we have today, and we are surprised why our world is going down into the dumps.’
Corcoran’s remarks came during a December 2022 episode of The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett, where she claimed she was weeding out ‘negative people.’
‘You know why? Because I picked out individuals who were negative and my attitude towards the negative person was they were ruining my good kids,’ Corcoran explained. ‘Because people who are negative have to have somebody else to be negative with them. They gotta talk to somebody… complain.’
‘I’m talking about chronic complainers, negative people – you gotta get rid of them.’
Corcoran also noted that she learned to avoid justifying the firings.
‘You never tell them why you are firing them, or you’ll get in a rat’s nest,’ she said, adding that her preferred explanation is simply, ‘you just don’t fit the company.’
Though Corcoran defended the practice as necessary for maintaining workplace morale, others questioned whether the real issue might lie within her leadership.
‘If they are negative maybe it’s something within ur company…. no one goes to a job to be negative!!’ one user argued.
Even some managers who agreed that toxic attitudes can spread drew a clear boundary.
‘I agree with the sentiment as a manager,’ one commenter said, ‘but I would never relish in firing someone. That shows a lack of general humanity.’
Another added, ‘She’s exactly the kind of boss/person I’d never want to work for.’
Corcoran founded The Corcoran Group, a successful real estate brokerage in New York City, which she sold for $66 million in 2001.
She is now known as a real estate mogul and a prominent investor on the TV show Shark Tank, where she has invested in various businesses.
