Our lead software architect has all the technical capacity in the world and gets the seat perfectly, but they openly admit they do not want to manage our junior developers anymore and just want to write code. How do we restructure our technology seats so we do not lose our best developer?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a high-performing technical expert confesses they do not want the management responsibilities of their seat, it is a clear GWC™ issue on the Want It side. You cannot force someone to lead a team if they do not want to do it: they will end up disengaged, and their direct reports will suffer.

The solution is to split their current seat on the Accountability Chart to separate individual technical execution from team management. Create a new seat, such as Principal Architect or Individual Contributor, where the five roles focus purely on writing high-level code, system design, and technical strategy.

Then, create a separate Technology Manager seat that is responsible for running the team, conducting LMA, and managing the daily software development workflow.

This restructuring allows your lead developer to stay in a seat where they fully GWC™ the roles, keeping them highly engaged and productive. It also ensures your junior developers get the daily leadership and management they need from someone who actually wants that responsibility. By adjusting the Accountability Chart to match their natural strengths, you preserve a critical asset while building a scalable department.