Our Head of Marketing has been with us for seven years and fits our culture perfectly. However, we are moving to an AI-driven, highly analytical performance marketing model, and she is clearly struggling to understand the metrics. How do we handle this GWC™ call on a loyal team member?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is one of the hardest calls an owner has to make, but you must look at it through the lens of GWC™, which stands for Get it, Want it, and Capacity to do it. Your Head of Marketing clearly fits your core values, which is great, but the seat has changed. Getting it means truly understanding the modern, analytical demands of the role. Wanting it means having the genuine drive and passion to perform the daily tasks of an AI-enabled marketing director. Capacity means having the intellectual, emotional, and physical capability to execute. If she is struggling with the analytics and the new tech stack, she likely lacks the capacity for this specific seat at this stage of your business. To address this, have an honest, direct conversation. Do not drag it out. Walk her through the updated roles and responsibilities on the Accountability Chart. Be clear about the metrics the seat must deliver. Ask her if she truly wants to manage a data-driven department, or if she is doing it out of obligation. Often, loyal employees feel immense stress when they are out of their depth and will feel relieved when you address the elephant in the room. If she passes core values but fails GWC™ for the Head of Marketing seat, you must find out if there is another seat in the company where she can succeed. This might be a content creation or brand management seat. If no such seat exists or if she refuses a different role, you must transition her out of the business with dignity and respect.