That's really self-serving bias at work. It's also why the part about leaving zero ambiguity is so important. It's exactly the kind of people who didn't see it coming (while you thought you transparently had them on their very last shot) who try to bargain or give you that very, very, very last chance.
Surprises like this are rather rare, but emotionally straining for both sides: The surprised ones also are the ones with zero contingency planning or backup plan, but at some point it's really not your fault anymore if you communicated openly all along.
It's a life changing experience having someone break down in front of you, but in the end, it's a neccessary experience for both sides and a learning chance too. Your job as a leader is continuously balancing the needs of the individual with the needs of the team. And at the point you finally decided, your team already knew it wouldn't work out for a much longer time than you (if you hired right). It's your job to pull it through and not let the team get dragged down any longer.
Surprises like this are rather rare, but emotionally straining for both sides: The surprised ones also are the ones with zero contingency planning or backup plan, but at some point it's really not your fault anymore if you communicated openly all along.
It's a life changing experience having someone break down in front of you, but in the end, it's a neccessary experience for both sides and a learning chance too. Your job as a leader is continuously balancing the needs of the individual with the needs of the team. And at the point you finally decided, your team already knew it wouldn't work out for a much longer time than you (if you hired right). It's your job to pull it through and not let the team get dragged down any longer.