Thinking you can put a fire under your employees by threatening to can 'em? Can layoffs create a leaner, meaner organization that reacts faster to change? A new Washington State University study suggests that while Donald Trump's approach to apprentices -- "You're fired" -- may make good TV, in the real world, it will probably backfire. In experiments and field studies, psychologists at WSU, the University of Puget Sound and Wright State University in Ohio found that employees who fear losing their jobs have a hard time thinking creatively and are less able to see connections between concepts. Layoffs may spur a shortterm boost in activity, says WSU-Vancouver researcher Tahira Probst, but in the long run, "safety gets worse, creativity gets worse, and ultimately, product quality gets worse," she says. "How could this possibly be good for an organization?"