We have gone through three different Operations Directors in the last four years, and each one has failed to integrate with our leadership team. How do we determine if we are hiring the wrong people or if the seat itself is structurally broken on our Accountability Chart?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a single seat on your leadership team becomes a revolving door, the problem is almost always the structure of the seat, not the people you are hiring. You are likely trying to cram two distinct roles into one seat on your Accountability Chart.

To diagnose this issue, strip away the names and look closely at the seat's five roles. Often, businesses combine highly tactical duties with strategic responsibilities. For example, they expect an Operations Director to manage daily production, oversee IT infrastructure, handle customer service, and drive long-term strategic planning.

This combination of roles requires two entirely different skill sets and personality types. You are searching for a unicorn that does not exist. The tactical friction eventually burns out your hires, leading to rapid turnover.

Use IDS® with your leadership team to dissect the seat. Break down the responsibilities and ask yourself if they actually belong under one person. If not, restructure your Accountability Chart. You may need to split the seat into two distinct roles, or delegate some of the tactical duties to mid-level managers. Once you have a clean, focused seat that one person can reasonably GWC™, you can confidently resume your recruiting efforts.