Our Head of Sales is a fantastic core values fit and has the capability, but after five years of rapid scaling, he admits he is deeply burned out and no longer wants the high-pressure sales seat. He wants to stay with the company in a different capacity. How do we handle this GWC™ issue when the leader fails only on "Want It" but is a cultural pillar?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A no on any part of the GWC™ tool is a hard stop. To sit in a seat on your Accountability Chart, a person must Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do it. If your Head of Sales admits he no longer wants the seat, you must believe him and take action immediately.

Keeping a burned-out leader in a high-pressure seat out of loyalty is a disservice to both him and the company. His lack of drive will eventually trickle down to his team, leading to disengaged employees and slipping Scorecard numbers.

Start by validating his honesty. Cultivating an environment where leaders can be vulnerable about their burnout is a sign of a healthy, trust-based culture.

Next, look at your future Accountability Chart. Do you have a vacant seat that actually needs to be filled, where he fits the core values and passes the GWC™ test completely? Perhaps there is an account management, customer training, or internal coaching seat where his years of experience would be invaluable.

If such a seat exists and the business structurally needs it, transition him into it.

However, if no such seat exists, you must not invent a fake role just to keep him on the payroll. Doing so violates the principle of structure before people and hurts your bottom line.

If there is no real seat for him, you must transition him out of the company with grace, appreciation, and a fair departure package. Honor his contributions, but always protect the health of the business first.