Well, I'm relieved to say that, now I've reread the thread, I still stand by my original comments.

However, there is one point I didn't make then that perhaps I should have. Some time ago, I heard tell of an employee who wasn't providing the results, and a manager who spent a good couple of years trying all sorts of different tacks to try to change things. In this case, it ended in the manager laying cards on the table, saying he had tried everything he could, and that he now had no choice but to let the employee know. The employee's reaction was one of shock because he felt he was doing his utmost to hit the targets set in the improvement plans, reviews and so on. Moreover he was utterly angry and rightly said that if they'd had this conversation a lot earlier, he wouldn't have wasted a couple of years of his employment life mistakenly chasing something he wasn't suited for.

In short, we have to remember that terminating someone's employment - if it's appropriate - isn't always viewed badly by the departing person. As managers, we should do our best to make the best choice for all concerned, and assumptions often cloud that.