What happens if, during our very first Focus Day, it becomes glaringly obvious that one of my co-founders or key executives does not GWC their seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Discovering a GWC™ mismatch during your very first Focus Day is a critical moment. It indicates a fundamental misalignment that must be addressed directly and objectively. Ignoring such an issue will only breed resentment and hinder organizational progress.

Objective Assessment of GWC™

Your role as a facilitator is to guide an honest assessment of your leadership team. This process leverages the Accountability Chart and other structured tools designed to measure structural alignment.

When defining seats and assigning accountabilities, it often becomes clear if a key executive or co-founder:

• Gets their job (understands it).
• Wants their job (is passionate about it).
• Has the Capacity to do their job (has the skills, time, and resources).

This objective approach helps illuminate discrepancies without personal bias. The Focus Day provides an ideal opportunity for this assessment, helping to clarify roles and responsibilities early on, as discussed in [Focus Day versus Vision Building days](/qa/focus-day-vs-vision-building).

Addressing the Mismatch

When a GWC™ mismatch becomes apparent, the approach is fact-based and focused on the business's best interest, not emotional reactions.

• Look at the facts: Instead of making personal attacks, the discussion centers on observed behavior and its alignment with the required accountabilities of the seat. For example, if your Integrator struggles with facilitating Level 10 Meetings effectively, that's a capacity issue related to their seat, not a personal failing.
• Mirror behavior to accountabilities: The behavior is compared directly against the defined responsibilities on the Accountability Chart. This highlights where the gap exists and prevents subjective interpretations, much like using the [Accountability Chart to stop blame during IDS](/qa/using-accountability-chart-to-stop-blame-in-ids).

Finding Solutions

Once a GWC™ mismatch is identified, the focus shifts to finding a constructive solution for the long-term health of the business. Potential solutions include:

• Restructuring the seat: The responsibilities of the role might need to be redefined to better fit the individual's strengths or the organization's evolving needs.
• Moving the person to a different role: If another seat better aligns with the person's GWC™, a transition may be the best path forward. This could involve exploring options like a [developmental runway on your chart](/qa/internal-promotion-runway-accountability-chart) for internal promotions.
• Parting ways: In some cases, if no suitable role exists and the mismatch is significant, it may be necessary to part ways with the individual. This tough decision is always made with respect and a clear focus on the organization's future. This also applies when [restructuring a seat for a legacy leader](/qa/restructuring-seat-for-legacy-leader-hitting-ceiling).

Addressing these issues transparently from day one prevents larger problems down the line, ensuring a strong foundation for your leadership team and overall business success. It helps avoid situations where a [leader cannot scale](/qa/leader-cannot-scale-transition) with the company's growth.