Our lead Estimator has been here since day one and is a perfect culture fit, but he flatly refuses to learn our new estimation software and says he prefers his spreadsheets. He gets the seat and has the physical capacity, but fails the Want It for our modernized workflows. Do we make a hard RPRS call or grandfather him in?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Having a long-tenured leader who is a perfect culture fit but refuses to adopt modernized systems is a classic Right Person, Wrong Seat dilemma. He has the history and the core values, but if he rejects the tools necessary for the business to scale, he is failing the GWC™ for his seat.

In EOS®, GWC™ stands for Get It, Want It, and Capacity. Your estimator may Get the mechanics of estimating, but by refusing to use the new software, he lacks the Capacity to perform the seat as it is defined today. Capacity is not just about hours worked; it includes the mental, emotional, and physical capability to do the job using the company's established processes. His refusal also signals a lack of Want It for the modernized version of his seat.

You cannot grandfather team members into outdated workflows out of loyalty. This creates a double standard that demoralizes the rest of the team and halts your operational efficiency.

Address this directly. Have an honest conversation during his quarterly review. Define the seat's requirements clearly, explaining that using the new software is non-negotiable. Give him a thirty-day window with dedicated training to master the tool. If he still refuses or cannot adapt, you must make the tough Right Person, Wrong Seat call. You must move him to a different seat where his spreadsheet skills do not bottleneck the company, or help him transition out of the business with dignity.