We have an early employee who has been with us for ten years as our COO, but as we scaled past 100 employees, he clearly does not have the capacity for the executive Integrator seat, even though he passionately wants it and embodies our core values. How do we make this GWC call without destroying team morale?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic Right Person, Wrong Seat situation. Your COO has impeccable core values and a high score on the People Analyzer, but the complexity of your company has outgrown their capacity. Capacity in GWC includes the mental, emotional, and physical horsepower to manage at your current and future scale.

Keeping this leader in a seat they cannot handle is cruelty disguised as loyalty. It burns them out, frustrates their direct reports, and bottlenecks company growth. The rest of your leadership team already knows this person is struggling. Avoiding the call damages your credibility as a leader far more than making the transition will.

Handle this directly and privately. Separate the individual from the seat. Explain that as the organization expands toward its three-year target, the Integrator seat demands a skill set built around multi-departmental executive integration, enterprise forecasting, and advanced systems design. Acknowledge what they built and make it clear their standing as a culture carrier is unquestioned.

Look at your Accountability Chart structure to see if an impactful seat exists where their true strengths shine, such as managing key client relationships, heading up special operations, or leading tribal training. If a suitable seat exists and they genuinely get, want, and have the capacity for it, make the lateral move. If no seat exists, provide a generous, dignified severance package and help them transition out with honor.