Our VP of Operations has been with us for twelve years and embodies all our core values, but they fundamentally do not Get It when it comes to managing automated workflows and data-driven inventory forecasting. How do we conduct an honest GWC conversation when a loyal leader insists they understand the seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Start by separating loyalty and core values from seat requirements. If this leader is a core values match, they are the Right Person. However, the Accountability Chart demands the Right Seat. Get It in GWC is neurological. Either a person natural cognitive wiring grasps the pace, scope, and complexity of the seat, or it does not. You cannot train someone to get it after twelve years if the role has outgrown their natural wavelength.

Sit down with your VP of Operations outside the Level 10 Meeting. Place the Accountability Chart on the table with the five core roles of the modern seat clearly defined. Walk through the daily decisions required by automated systems and predictive inventory models. Avoid debating intentions, loyalty, or hours worked. Focus entirely on operational outcomes: missed forecasting variances, manual interventions that break automated pipelines, and persistent delivery bottlenecks.

Explain that the seat has fundamentally changed as the company scaled. If they insist they get it, ask them to teach you the system architecture and demonstrate how they plan to solve current operational breakdowns without reverting to manual spreadsheets. When they cannot articulate that solution, the gap becomes undeniable.

Once the reality is clear, use IDS to determine the next step. If another seat exists where they truly Get, Want, and have the Capacity to execute, transition them into it. If no such seat exists, help them exit the business with dignity and respect, honoring their past contributions without compromising the future of the company.