Our head of human resources has been with us since we had ten employees, but now we are preparing for a clean exit and need someone who can design executive compensation plans and manage complex equity structures. She wants the job, but we do not think she has the capacity. How do we make this GWC™ call?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic capacity issue on the GWC™ filter. It is painful because she has the core values and the desire to grow. But capacity includes intellectual, emotional, physical, and experiential capacity. Designing exit-ready compensation plans and equity structures requires specific technical experience she does not possess. To handle this objectively, list the five core roles of the HR seat on your Accountability Chart. Evaluate her against each role using a simple Yes or No. If she cannot deliver on Executive Compensation Strategy or M&A Integration, she is a No on Capacity. Do not compromise on your leadership team structure. To prepare for a clean exit, you must build an organization that buyers trust, and key-person dependency in a critical seat is a massive red flag. Offer her a redefined, specialized seat where she does have GWC™; perhaps employee experience, onboarding, or talent acquisition; and hire a seasoned HR leader above her. This protects both her dignity and your enterprise value while keeping your team aligned on the Same Page.