We hired an outside VP of Sales who had an incredible resume, but ninety days in, it is clear they do not GWC the seat because they refuse to use our CRM and want to delegate all their prospecting. How do we handle this quickly without destroying our sales pipeline?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When an expensive external hire fails the GWC™ test, owners often hesitate because they want to justify the recruiting costs and time spent. This delay is a mistake that damages your team morale and stalls your sales pipeline.

Review the five roles of the Sales seat on your Accountability Chart with them. Ask direct questions: do they Get It, do they Want It, and do they have the Capacity to execute these specific roles? If they refuse to use the CRM and are unwilling to do the prospecting required by the seat, they do not GWC™ the seat as it is defined for your company today.

Do not fall into the trap of rewriting the seat roles to fit their preferences or resume. The Accountability Chart is designed to serve the needs of the business, not the comfort of the individual.

Give them clear, written expectations and a short window of two to four weeks to adjust their behavior. If they do not immediately adopt the required processes and tools, you must terminate their employment. While this creates a short-term gap in your sales pipeline, keeping a non-performing leader in a key seat is far more damaging to your culture and long-term revenue.