To be ruthless means hacking and cutting, especially in difficult times,or wantonly firing people without any thoughtful consideration. To be rigorous means consistently applying exacting standards at all times and at all levels, especially in upper management. To be rigorous, not ruthless,means that the best people need not worry about their positions and can concentrate fully on their work.
"The only way to deliver to the people
who are achieving is to not burden them with the people who are not
achieving."
To let people languish in uncertainty for months or years, stealing pre
cious time in their lives that they could use to move on to something else,
when in the end they aren't going to make it anyway-that would be ruth
less. To deal with it right up front and let people get on with their lives
that is rigorous.
Rigor in a good-to