Our VP of Sales has been with us for ten years and is a cultural anchor, but as we prep for a private equity exit, we suspect he no longer Wants the grueling travel and high-pressure targets required. He claims he GWC's the seat, but his energy is gone. How do we make this Right Seat call without causing a mutiny?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

An owner cannot afford to accept a passive yes when assessing GWC™ on a legacy leader. If your VP of Sales is a cultural anchor but is coasting, they do not truly want the seat anymore. Wanting a seat means having a genuine spark, a drive to do the job, and the willingness to face the pressure of an impending exit. When a long-tenured leader loses that fire, they are occupying a seat they no longer GWC™.

To address this, have a direct, honest conversation outside of your Level 10 Meeting™. Walk through the five roles of their seat on the Accountability Chart. Ask them to rate their own desire to execute those specific roles at the level of intensity required for our exit run. Often, legacy leaders feel trapped by golden handcuffs or loyalty, and they are relieved when you call out the elephant in the room.

If they admit they no longer want the pace of the seat, do not fire them. Instead, transition them to a seat they actually GWC™ and that the business genuinely needs, such as an individual contributor role managing key strategic accounts. This preserves their institutional knowledge and cultural value while freeing up the leadership seat for a hungry successor who can drive the numbers your buyer expects.