Our operations director is a classic Reformer type who resists any quick changes to our processes because he is obsessed with maintaining absolute quality. How do we get him bought into streamlining our operations for an exit without making him feel like we are cutting corners?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A Reformer-type manager is driven by high internal standards, precision, and doing things the right way. When you begin modifying operations on your exit runway to maximize efficiency or adjust margins, this manager will instinctively perceive your actions as cutting corners or destroying the quality they worked hard to build. If you push them too hard, they will become a bottleneck or, worse, resign during due diligence.

You must reframe the exit preparation to align with their core motivation. A Reformer wants a perfect, legacy-grade business. Explain that clean, standardized, and highly efficient operations are the ultimate expression of quality. Show them that a buyer will pay a premium for a business that does not rely on tribal knowledge or constant manual double-checks.

Bring this issue to your leadership team's weekly Level 10 Meeting™ and use the IDS® process to solve it. Assign a Rock to this manager focused on systemizing and simplifying their department's processes. This gives them ownership of the project. They can use their high attention to detail to ensure the streamlined processes remain robust and audit-ready. By channeling their need for perfection into building a world-class, transferrable operating model, you turn a potential roadblock into your most valuable asset during the transition.