One of our department heads openly admits they no longer want the stress and pressure of their leadership seat as we scale up for a sale, but they are a great culture fit and we do not want to lose them. How do we handle a leader who says they no longer Want the seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is an honest and highly valuable realization. In the EOS® framework, a person must GWC™ their seat: Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do it. If a leader openly admits they no longer Want the seat because of the increased pressure of scaling for an exit, you must respect their honesty and take action.

First, do not try to persuade or pressure them into staying in a seat they no longer want. This will only lead to disengagement, poor performance, and eventual burnout, which can derail your scaling plans. Instead, praise them for their vulnerability and transparency, which aligns with building deep trust on your team.

Second, look at your Accountability Chart to see if there is an individual contributor seat or a less demanding management role where they can still add significant value. Because they are a strong culture fit and understand your operations, they could be highly effective in a specialized role that does not carry executive pressure.

If such a seat exists and they GWC™ it, transition them into it as soon as you can find a replacement for their current leadership seat. If no suitable seat exists, you must help them transition out of the company gracefully. Keeping someone in a leadership seat they do not want is a disservice to both the individual and the business.