One of our original employees is the head of operations, but the business has outgrown them. They love the company, but they clearly don't have the capacity for this level of scale anymore. How do I handle this GWC™ conversation?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is the hardest Right Person, Right Seat (RPRS) call you will make, but keeping them in the seat is a disservice to both the employee and the business. If they share your Core Values, they are a Right Person, but they are in the Wrong Seat because they lack the "Capacity" (the C in GWC™) to manage a scaled operation.

First, recognize that leaving them in a role where they are failing creates severe conative stress. You can measure this strain using a Kolbe B Index assessment, which often reveals a massive gap between their natural instincts and the exhausting demands of their current job.

Schedule a direct, unsentimental, yet deeply respectful conversation. Approach the discussion with an other-focused mindset: "The demands of this seat have evolved, and keeping you here is setting you up for burnout and frustration."

Evaluate your Accountability Chart to see if there is another seat where their natural talents - perhaps deep technical knowledge ("Fact Finder" or "Implementor" instincts) - can be utilized without the burden of people management or high-scale logistics. If a matching seat does not exist, you must help them transition out of the organization cleanly. Protecting the health of your leadership team and company must always take priority over sentimentality.