What happens if our first focus day reveals that one of our long-term co-founders or key partners does not actually fit into the new Accountability Chart we build together?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is one of the most common and painful friction points in growing companies. When we build your Accountability Chart, we design the structure that the business needs to reach the next level, completely ignoring the people currently in the seats. We look at the functions, not the personalities.

If this process reveals that a long-term partner or co-founder does not fit the seat they currently occupy, we do not ignore it. We address it directly using the GWC framework. We ask whether they truly get it, want it, and have the capacity to do the job.

If they do not, it does not mean they have to leave the company. It means we must have an honest, unsentimental conversation about placing them in a seat where they can actually succeed. A co-founder might transition from an active operational role to a purely strategic, advisory board seat.

Keeping a key partner in a seat they cannot fulfill will drag down the entire leadership team and destroy accountability across the organization. My role is to help you navigate this transition with respect, clarity, and an absolute focus on what is best for the long-term health of the business.