Baystate Health CEO releases book on firing with compassion

By AI, Created 11:00 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Peter D. Banko, president and CEO of Baystate Health, has released a new Forbes Books title on how leaders can let employees go with clarity and respect. The book aims to fill a gap in management training around one of leadership’s most difficult decisions.

Why it matters: - Firing is one of the most difficult responsibilities in leadership, yet many managers receive little formal training on how to do it well. - Poorly handled departures can damage culture, weaken trust and hurt team performance. - The book frames termination as a leadership skill, not just a legal or administrative task.

What happened: - Peter D. Banko, president and CEO of Baystate Health, released The Necessary Goodbye: How Great Leaders Fire with Clarity, Confidence, and Compassion with Forbes Books. - The book is now available on Amazon and at major booksellers. - Forbes Books is the exclusive business book publishing imprint of Forbes. - The release was posted on behalf of Forbes Books, which is operated by Advantage Media Group under license.

The details: - Banko draws on two decades of CEO-level leadership across complex healthcare systems. - The book argues that leaders should handle employee departures with professionalism, respect and humanity. - Banko says avoiding necessary personnel decisions can weaken organizations and erode culture. - The book uses real-world stories and reflections informed by psychology, philosophy, literature and popular culture. - Banko says the book is for leaders who want to build the right teams, grow talent and exit employees who do not fit the culture or path forward. - Banko said the book is for leaders at any point in their leadership journey.

Between the lines: - The timing and framing suggest a broader push to normalize direct conversations about performance and fit in leadership. - In healthcare, where culture and team reliability can affect patient care, the book’s message may resonate beyond general management audiences. - The emphasis on dignity and trust signals a counterweight to purely process-driven approaches to termination.

What’s next: - The book will likely be used as a leadership guide for executives, managers and teams navigating personnel decisions. - Banko is positioned to promote the book as a resource on purpose-driven leadership and organizational change. - Forbes Books continues to expand its catalog of business and thought-leadership titles.

The bottom line: - Banko’s book argues that how leaders fire people matters as much as the decision itself, and that clarity and compassion can coexist in difficult personnel calls.