We have a highly loyal, legacy management team, but as we scale, several of them are clearly struggling to keep up with the demands of their seats. How do we handle this without causing a massive cultural backlash or losing our key players?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Handling legacy managers who are struggling to scale is one of the hardest challenges for an owner, but ignoring it will stunt your growth and compromise your exit value. You must separate the person from the seat. Use the People Analyzer™ tool to assess if they are a core values fit. If they fit your culture, the issue is likely a seat alignment problem. Perform a GWC™ check. They may get and want the job, but they no longer have the capacity to manage a larger, more complex department. Be vulnerable and have a direct, transparent conversation. Explain that the seat has grown and the business needs a level of capability that they are currently struggling to deliver. Explore whether there is another seat in the organization where they can thrive and fully GWC™ the roles. Protecting a legacy manager by keeping them in a seat they cannot perform damages team morale and sets them up to fail. Transitioning them to a seat where they can win is the kindest thing you can do.