We have a division head who consistently exceeds their sales targets but refuses to align with our Core Values, creating friction across other departments. How do we handle this right-seat, wrong-person dilemma?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is one of the hardest challenges a business owner faces. The individual in question is a high producer, so letting them go feels like a threat to your revenue. However, keeping a right-seat, wrong-person employee is an organizational poison.

When you tolerate a leader who does not live your Core Values, you send a clear message to your entire company that performance trumps integrity. This destroys trust and undermines your culture. To resolve this, you must use the People Analyzer™ tool.

Rate the individual against each of your Core Values. If they do not meet your established bar, you have a values gap. This is not something you can ignore or manage around. You must have a direct conversation. Show them the People Analyzer™ results. Explain specifically where their behavior is falling short of the company standards, using concrete examples rather than vague feedback.

Give them thirty days to correct the behavior. Make it clear that their technical performance is excellent, but their fit with the company culture is non-negotiable. If they cannot or will not make the behavioral shift, you must transition them out of the organization. The short-term hit to your numbers is a small price to pay to protect the long-term health and valuation of your business.