One of our core leadership team members clearly gets and wants their seat, but personal circumstances and mental or physical exhaustion have stripped away their capacity to perform. How do we handle a leader who passes the G and W of GWC™ but is temporarily or permanently failing on the C?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a key leader passes the gets-it and wants-it tests but lacks the capacity, owners often delay taking action because they like the person and appreciate their passion. However, capacity is a hard requirement. If a leader lacks the physical, mental, or emotional capability to perform their roles, your operations will suffer, and the rest of your leadership team will begin to experience burnout from picking up the slack.

First, diagnose if the capacity issue is temporary or permanent. Temporary capacity issues, such as a short-term personal crisis or health struggle, should be met with support and temporary delegation. Work with the leader to redistribute their responsibilities or adjust their Rocks for a single quarter to let them recover.

If the capacity issue is permanent, such as a lack of the advanced skills needed to run a larger department, you must make a structural change. Keeping someone in a seat where they lack capacity is a disservice to them and the company.

Review your Accountability Chart to see if there is another seat where they do have full GWC™. Often, a leader who is overwhelmed by people management can excel as a highly specialized individual contributor. If no such seat exists, you must transition them out of the organization. Use your core values as your guide, treating them with absolute respect and generosity as they exit.