We want to avoid layoffs by shifting our administrative staff into sales and client success roles as AI automates their old tasks, but many of them lack the natural ability for these client-facing seats. How do we evaluate their GWC™ for these new roles without destroying our operational momentum?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

As AI streamlines your administrative workflows, you will naturally find that you need fewer people doing clerical tasks. While trying to retain loyal team members is admirable, forcing administrative staff into client-facing roles where they lack natural ability is a recipe for operational failure.

You must use the GWC tool to objectively evaluate every individual for their new potential seats on the Accountability Chart. Ask yourself three simple questions:

- Do they get it? Do they truly understand the culture, expectations, and pace of a client success or sales role?
- Do they want it? Do they genuinely want to spend their day interacting with clients and resolving conflicts, or are they just looking for job security?
- Do they have the capacity to do it? Do they have the natural talent, communication skills, and emotional intelligence to succeed?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, you cannot put them in that seat.

Instead of forcing a bad fit, gradually evolve roles within the organization so employees invest more time in high-impact priorities that match their actual strengths, augmented by AI. This might mean keeping them in a modified administrative role that now handles three times the volume due to AI tools, rather than moving them to sales.

If they do not fit any open, high-value seat on your Accountability Chart, you must make the hard, unsentimental decision to transition them out of the business. Keeping people in seats they do not GWC will slow down your company, frustrate your team, and ultimately hurt your valuation when preparing for an exit.