We recently restructured our Accountability Chart to prepare for our exit, but a long-time leadership team member is struggling in their new, highly demanding seat. They are defensive and refuse to admit they do not GWC the role. How do we handle this situation without destroying our team health?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a long-time leader refuses to admit they do not GWC their seat, it creates a dangerous bottleneck. You must address this issue directly and objectively. You cannot allow personal loyalty to override the needs of the business, especially when preparing for an exit.

Schedule a private meeting with the individual. Use your Accountability Chart and the GWC tool as the basis for the conversation. Go through each of the roles defined for their seat. Ask them to rate their own performance on Getting the role, Wanting the role, and having the Capacity to do it.

If they remain defensive, present objective data. Show them missed Rocks, lagging scorecard metrics, and feedback from their direct reports. Frame the discussion around the needs of the seat, not their personal worth. Explain that the business has evolved, and the current seat requires a level of capability that is different from what they have done in the past.

Give them a clear, short timeframe to improve, usually thirty to sixty days, with specific, measurable milestones. If they cannot meet these standards, you must remove them from the seat. You can offer them a different role that fits their capabilities, or assist them in transitioning out of the company. Protecting the health of your leadership team must always come first.