Our head of customer retention has been here since day one and is a core values match, but they completely lack the analytical capacity to run our new automated ticketing and churn-prediction systems. They want the seat, they get it, but they cannot do the job. How do we make this tough GWC call without looking like we do not value loyalty?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Loyalty is admirable, but it does not buy you a pass on performance. When your head of customer retention has the right core values but lacks the capacity to run your new automated systems, you have a classic right person in the wrong seat problem. In EOS terms, this is a GWC issue. Specifically, they do not have the capacity to do the job. Capacity includes intellectual, emotional, and physical capability, as well as the necessary time. As you modernize your operations to prepare for an exit, your seats will naturally evolve. The seat they used to GWC no longer exists. If they cannot manage automated ticketing and churn analytics, they are holding the business back and dragging down its valuation. You must handle this directly and with complete transparency. Have a conversation about the requirements of the new seat. Show them the gap between their current skill set and what the seat demands. If they cannot bridge that gap within thirty days, you must remove them from the seat. Keeping them there out of guilt destroys team morale and signals that performance does not matter. See if there is a different seat in the organization where they fit perfectly and truly GWC the roles. If no such seat exists, you must make the hard call and transition them out of the company.