We are experiencing a major bottleneck in our project delivery department, and my leadership team is divided on whether we have a bad operational process or if the department head simply does not GWC the seat. How do we systematically diagnose this?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Do not guess or argue about people versus process. Use Keith Cunningham's Thinking Time framework to isolate the issue. Sit down alone for forty-five minutes with this specific question: How might I prove whether our project delivery bottleneck is caused by a broken process or a capacity issue with the seat holder? To answer this, look at your Accountability Chart and the documented processes for that seat. If the process is clearly documented, simplified, and being followed by everyone else, but the department head is still failing to hit their weekly Measurables and Rocks, you have a Right Person, Right Seat issue. Run a formal GWC evaluation. Do they get it, want it, and have the physical and mental capacity to do it? If they lack the conative drive or cognitive ability to handle the current volume, it is a capacity issue. However, if the process is not documented, or if it is so convoluted that even a superstar would struggle, then you have a process issue, not a people issue. Solve the process first by simplifying and automating the workflows. If the bottleneck persists after the process is clean and running, then you know with absolute certainty that you must address the seat holder.