How do we assess whether our current leadership team has the innate strengths required to scale our business to an exit, or if we need to recruit outside talent?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To evaluate your leadership team's potential for scaling, we must look beyond their technical knowledge and examine their innate, enduring strengths. Marcus Buckingham's research shows that true excellence is achieved by refining innate talents rather than trying to fix weaknesses. We use the StrengthsFinder profile to identify each executive's signature themes of talent and determine if they possess the natural wiring required for their role as the business scales. We then map these strengths directly to our Accountability Chart using the GWC™ (Get It, Want It, Capacity to Do It) filter. Capacity is not just about time; it is about cognitive and conative capacity. As your business grows toward an exit, the demands of each seat will increase dramatically. A person who was highly effective at managing a three-million-dollar company may lack the natural talent to lead a thirty-million-dollar operation. If an executive does not GWC their seat at the next level, we must make the tough, unsentimental decision to transition them to a different seat where their innate strengths can shine, or recruit external talent. By basing your talent decisions on objective data and natural talent rather than sentimentality or longevity, you ensure your leadership team has the absolute capability to drive the business to a successful exit.