Our Head of Client Relations has been with us for a decade and loves our culture, but our client support department is shifting to a heavily automated, SLA-driven model. She gets the vision and genuinely wants the seat, but she lacks the analytical capacity to manage complex data dashboards and system integrations. How do we handle this GWC breakdown without firing a loyal employee?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When running a GWC™ check on a long-tenured leader, Capacity is often the hardest letter to evaluate because it is not about effort or loyalty; it is about capability and mental bandwidth. If your client support department has evolved into a data-driven, SLA-driven operation, the seat has fundamentally changed. If she lacks the analytical capacity to run this modern structure, she does not GWC™ the seat. You cannot leave her in a seat she does not GWC™, as it will bottleneck the department, burn her out, and lower your business value before an exit. However, because she is a Right Person who fits your core values, your goal should be to find or create a Right Seat for her. Look at your Accountability Chart™ and identify where her unique talents, specifically her deep client relationships and historical knowledge, can be fully utilized. This might be a high-touch Client Advisory seat or a Key Accounts Relationship seat where she does not have to manage people, systems, or data. If a suitable seat does not exist, you must have an honest, compassionate conversation about the transition. Explain that the management seat has changed and that you want to set her up for success in a role that plays to her true strengths.