Our head of customer support has been with us for ten years and is a cultural pillar, but our shift to AI-powered self-service ticketing means her seat now requires technical data engineering skills she does not have. She insists she GWCs the new seat, but her performance says otherwise. How do we objectively call this GWC™ issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is one of the hardest decisions an owner will face, but you must prioritize the greater good of the company over your personal sentimentality. To run a clean, high-valuation business, you must be brutally honest about whether your long-tenured leaders truly GWC their modernized seats.

First, look at the three components of GWC. Does she truly Get it? This means she understands the deep, systemic nature of the new role, the technical architecture, and how it impacts the customer journey. Does she Want it? This means she genuinely desires to do this highly technical work every single day, not just that she wants to keep her title and paycheck. Does she have the Capacity to do it? This refers to her mental capability, technical skills, and time to execute the role successfully.

To make this objective, write down the five core roles of the modernized seat on your Accountability Chart. Next, define clear, weekly measurable numbers for her on the Scorecard. If she lacks the capacity, those numbers will consistently flash red, and her quarterly Rocks will go uncompleted.

If she fails the GWC test for this specific seat, she is a Right Person in a Wrong Seat. Because she is a cultural pillar who fits your core values, your goal should not be to fire her immediately. Instead, look at your Accountability Chart to see if there is another seat where she genuinely GWCs the roles, perhaps in account management or client onboarding. If no such seat exists, you must make the hard, respectful decision to transition her out of the company to protect your operational efficiency and future valuation.