We transitioned to a fully remote model, and we suspect our remote marketing leader no longer has the capacity for his seat, but it is hard to tell without physical oversight. How do we run an objective GWC evaluation for a remote leadership seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Managing remote leadership seats requires transitioning from activity-based monitoring to outcome-based accountability. If you are struggling to evaluate your remote marketing leader, it is because your Accountability Chart roles and measurable outcomes are not clear enough. You do not need physical oversight to know if someone is succeeding in their seat.

First, look at their GWC™. Start with the capacity element. In a remote environment, capacity is measured by output, responsiveness, and problem-solving velocity. Ask yourself: Are they hitting their weekly scorecard measurables? Are they executing their quarterly Rocks on time? Do they actively participate in your weekly Level 10 Meetings™, or are they passive and disconnected?

If their scorecard is consistently red and their Rocks are slipping, they are failing the capacity test. This is an objective fact, not a subjective feeling.

Next, schedule a direct GWC™ conversation. Walk through the five major roles of the marketing seat on the Accountability Chart. Ask them to self-evaluate their capacity to deliver on these roles in a remote environment. Sometimes, remote leaders suffer from isolation, which leads to analysis paralysis or a drop in decision-making speed.

If they struggle to articulate how they will get their numbers back on track, you must face the reality of a Right Person, Wrong Seat situation. You cannot afford to carry a remote leader who requires constant micromanagement to produce results. Clear expectations and hard numbers are the ultimate truth-tellers in a remote organization.