I have an engineering director who is a perfect core values fit and has been with me for a decade, but he simply lacks the strategic capability to lead our newly expanded development team as we integrate AI into our product. How do I balance my loyalty to him with the harsh reality that he is in the wrong seat?

This is one of the hardest situations a business owner faces, but you must separate personal loyalty from operational capability. Your engineering director has the Right People values, but he is in the Wrong Seat because he lacks the GWC to run a complex, AI-driven department. Keeping him in this seat is actually hurting him and your team. He is likely stressed, working long hours, and hiding his struggles, while his team is suffering from a lack of strategic direction. Your loyalty should not prevent you from making the right decision for the health of the entire company. Start by having an open, honest conversation with him. Use the GWC tool to explain the changing requirements of the seat. Help him see that the job has grown beyond his current capacity, and that this is not a personal failure, but a natural evolution of the business. Offer him a transition. Move him to a high-level technical contributor seat where his core values and deep technical expertise are fully utilized, but where he is no longer responsible for leadership, management, and accountability. This honors his loyalty while allowing you to hire a leader who can take your engineering department to the next level.

Category: Leadership Team