Our long-term Head of Operations was a superstar when we were smaller, but now that we have scaled, they are consistently dropping the ball on strategic planning and high level execution. How do we determine if they can be coached to scale or if they have officially hit their ceiling in this seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is one of the hardest challenges a growing business faces. To diagnose this, you must separate the person from the seat on your Accountability Chart. Your loyal long term employee is likely a great core values fit, but the seat has grown larger than their current capacity.

First, evaluate them using the GWC™ tool. Ask yourself if they still get, want, and have the capacity to do the job at this new scale. Capacity is not just about hours worked. It is about emotional, intellectual, and physical capability.

If they lack the capacity to think strategically, no amount of coaching will fix it. If you suspect they have hit their ceiling, have an honest conversation. Share your observations directly and ask them how they feel. Often, they are feeling the stress of drowning and will feel relieved to have the issue out in the open.

If they cannot scale, you must find a seat where they can succeed, or help them transition out of the business. Keeping them in a seat they cannot handle hurts the company, destroys team morale, and eventually breaks the person.