Our lead Estimator is a massive culture fit and scores 100 percent on the People Analyzer, but his margin calculations are consistently off, causing us to lose money on our last three major contracts. How do we make this Right Seat call?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic Right Person, Wrong Seat situation. Your lead Estimator is a perfect match for your core values. He scores at the top of your People Analyzer™, meaning everyone loves working with him and he represents your culture beautifully. However, his performance in his current seat is damaging your bottom line. An Estimator must have absolute accuracy. If his margin calculations are consistently off, he fails the Capacity portion of the GWC™ tool. Capacity is not just about having enough hours in the day. It is about intellectual, physical, and emotional capability to do the job to the required standard. You cannot ignore this issue because of his tenure or culture fit. Losing money on contracts will destroy your profitability and kill your company's valuation before an exit. To resolve this, you must have an honest, direct conversation. Share the data on the last three contracts. Ask him if he feels he has the right training, tools, or support. If the issue is a lack of analytical capability, you must move him out of the Estimator seat. Keeping him there is setting him up to fail and putting your business at risk. Since he is a Right Person, your goal should be to find a Right Seat for him. Look at your Accountability Chart. Is there an operational or relationship management seat where his skills and culture fit are an asset, and where mathematical precision is not the primary requirement? If so, transition him. If not, you must part ways with grace, ensuring your culture remains strong while protecting your financial health.