We are preparing to transition our business, but we realize that several of our key department heads do not truly want the accountability of their seats as the company scales. How do we handle a situation where a manager has the capacity but lacks the 'Want It' of GWC™?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a key department head has the capacity to do their job but lacks the desire, you have a major GWC™ issue. In the EOS® framework, 'Want It' means the person has the genuine passion, drive, and spark to perform the role. They are not just doing it for the paycheck or because they were promoted into it.

As your company prepares for a transition, the stakes are incredibly high. You need leaders who are fully committed to the hard work of exit readiness, which often includes documenting processes, cleansing data, and building scalable systems. If a manager does not want the seat, they will drag their feet, miss deadlines, and eventually burn out. They will become a bottleneck that delays your transaction.

You cannot force someone to want a seat. If you have run a GWC check and confirmed they lack the 'Want It', you must take action. Have an honest conversation with them. They might be relieved to step out of a high-pressure seat and into a role that fits them better. If there is not a smaller, more suitable seat available, you must transition them out of the organization. Leaving someone in a seat they do not want is unfair to them and dangerous for your exit plans.