&gt; which I try to give, but that can&#x27;t be my job<p>How many hours per week are you spending helping him? And how long have you been helping him?<p>It&#x27;s pretty much a given to have to provide significant training and guidance if you want A player performance but don&#x27;t want to pay for an A player.<p>&gt; we could pay a lot less<p>Based on what evidence?<p>&gt; would do a better job<p>Again, based on what evidence?<p>&gt; but I think we need someone fantastic to get where we need to go.<p>And you expect to be able to just click your fingers and hire somebody fantastic for a much lower pay?<p>Face it: Your company stuffed up and hired a decent performer when you wanted a top performer. The correct thing to do is offer a decent severance package (at least 3 months pay if he has been with you for more than a few weeks), give him a great reference, and allow him to represent himself as still employed while he looks for another job.