Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran faces criticism over resurfaced comments about firing employees on Fridays

‘I agree with the idea of getting rid of negativity but not enjoying firing people’

Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran has sparked a debate after her resurfaced comments about firing employees on Fridays went viral.

The 73-year-old entrepreneur, who stars on the ABC business reality TV series, has amassed a $100 million fortune after founding her own real estate firm, The Corcoran Group. Since joining Shark Tank in 2009, Corcoran has become known for her cutthroat business advice – which she often shares on TikTok to her one million followers.

Earlier this month, a TikTok video went viral of Corcoran on The Diary of a CEO podcast, where she shared that she prefers to fire her employees on Fridays.

“I love firing people on Fridays,” the businesswoman said.

Corcoran explained that, before she fired an employee, she would ask to set up a meeting with them a few days prior.

“I would stop by someone’s desk on a Wednesday and say, ‘Hey, would you have some time on Friday?’” she continued. “They should’ve heard about the rumors.”

“I couldn’t wait until I came in to fire them,” she added.

The Shark Tank investor went on to explain that she’s fired workers in the past who’ve exhibited a negative approach to their job.

“I picked out individuals who were negative,” she said. “My attitude toward the negative person is that they were ruining my good kids. People who are negative have to have somebody else negative to be with them. They’ve got to talk to somebody, complain. I’m not talking about people who tell you what you’re doing wrong, they’re invaluable. I’m talking about chronic complainers and negative people. You gotta get rid of them.”

When it came time for her fateful meeting with an employee, Corcoran revealed that her go-to phrase when terminating someone was to simply tell them that they weren’t a good fit for the company.

“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 explained. “You just don’t fit the company.”

Corcoran’s business advice appeared helpful to some in the comments of the viral TikTok, which has since been viewed 800,000 times. One user wrote: “So true, I work with chronically negative people and they drain the life out of me!”

“I’ve never agreed with anyone more,” another person said, while someone else commented: “She is so right though a negative person ruins a team.”

However, others felt Corcoran appeared too “giddy” when talking about firing employees on Fridays.

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

“I agree with the idea of getting rid of negativity but not enjoying firing people lol,” another said.

Corcoran recently went viral on TikTok once again when she revealed that she first mistook her Shark Tank co-star, billionaire Mark Cuban, for a bellboy. The entrepreneur described the meeting as the “most embarrassing moment” she had while filming the ABC show. After asking Cuban to help her with her bags, she soon realised that the so-called bellboy was actually her new co-star once she arrived on set.

“I look at the guy next to me, and it’s the luggage guy sitting in the seat next to me,” she recalled. “So I said to him, ‘What are you doing here?’”

“He said, ‘I’m Mark Cuban. Nice to meet you.’”