Our original Customer Service Manager has great core values, but she rejects our new digital helpdesk platform and insists on personal phone calls for everything. How do we address this GWC conflict without losing her historical knowledge?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic GWC™ issue where a long-tenured leader has the G (Get it) and the W (Want it) for the old version of their seat, but lacks the C (Capacity) for the updated role. When your business evolves, the seats on your Accountability Chart must evolve too. You cannot freeze your organization in time to accommodate one person. First, have an honest, one-on-one conversation outside of your Level 10 Meeting™. Explain that the Customer Service seat now requires mastering the digital platform to maintain our scaling standards. Ask her directly if she is willing and able to adapt. If she does not have the capacity to manage the digital tools, you must remove her from that seat. To preserve her deep historical knowledge, look at the Accountability Chart to see if there is another seat where her strengths fit. For example, she might excel in a specialized client onboarding or key account management seat that prioritizes deep relationships over high-volume ticket management. If a matching seat exists, and she fits your core values, make the move. If no such seat exists, or if she refuses to step out of her current role, you must make the hard decision to transition her out of the company. Keeping a person in a seat they cannot fully execute holds the entire company back.