Our long-tenured Head of Procurement has been with us for twelve years. He is brilliant and has the capacity, but as we scale our margins for an exit, he confessed he no longer Wants the high-stress, daily negotiating pressure this seat now demands. How do we handle this GWC misalignment on a core leader who still Gets the job and has the capability?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a long-tenured leader has the capability and culture fit but confesses they no longer Want the seat, you have a classic GWC misalignment. In EOS, to truly sit in a seat, a person must Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity for it. Lacking even one means they are in the wrong seat, and keeping them there will stall your business.

Start by honoring their honesty. It takes courage for a loyal leader to admit they no longer have the passion for a high-pressure role. Because this person is a Right Person, your goal is to find or create a seat on the Accountability Chart where they can thrive, provided it is a genuine business need.

Do not create a fake, administrative seat just to keep them happy. That is a trap that bloats overhead and breeds resentment. Instead, look at your long-term plan and see where their deep institutional knowledge can add value. Perhaps they transition to a vendor relations or strategic advisory seat, or help build out your compliance workflows.

If there is no viable seat that fits their GWC and matches your budget, you must prepare a respectful exit transition. Your culture is protected by making hard, honest decisions, not by keeping people in seats they do not want.