We have a legacy manager who has been with us for ten years and perfectly fits our Core Values, but they no longer have the capacity to manage our growing department. How do we use the GWC™ tool to transition them out of their current seat without destroying their morale or losing their institutional knowledge?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is one of the hardest challenges for any growing business. When a legacy employee fits your Core Values but no longer has the capacity to keep up with the demands of their scaling seat, you have a GWC™ issue.

First, you must separate the person from the seat. Be completely objective during your evaluation. Does this person get, want, and have the capacity to do the job at our current and future scale? If the answer to capacity is no, you must accept that keeping them in that seat is unfair to them and damaging to the business.

Next, have an honest, vulnerably-confident conversation with the employee. Use the GWC™ framework as your objective guide. Explain that while their alignment with your Core Values is unquestioned, the capacity requirements of the seat have outgrown their current skill set or bandwidth.

Look for a different seat on the Accountability Chart™ where they can thrive. Legacy employees often possess invaluable institutional knowledge and client relationships. They may be excellent individual contributors, technical experts, or advisors.

By re-seating them in a role where they can achieve a perfect GWC™ score, you protect the business while showing respect for their loyalty. If no such seat exists, you must help them make a clean transition out of the company, preserving their dignity and your culture.