My brother is a co-founder and sits on our leadership team, but he consistently fails to achieve his quarterly Rocks and lacks the skills needed to lead his department as we modernize our operations. How do we address this GWC issue when family dynamics and equal ownership are involved?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Family dynamics make Accountability Chart® issues incredibly difficult, but the rules of GWC™ apply to everyone, regardless of last name or equity ownership. If your brother does not GWC™ his seat, his presence on the leadership team is damaging team morale and dragging down operations.

You must separate his role as an owner from his role as an employee. As an owner, he is entitled to his share of profits. As an employee on the leadership team, he must meet the same performance standards as anyone else.

Have a candid, one-on-one conversation outside of the office. Use the GWC™ framework to clearly explain where his skills are falling short as you modernize and automate your workflows. Ask him if he truly wants the pressure of running this department in an exit-ready company.

If he agrees he lacks the GWC™ for his current seat, work together to find a different role where he can succeed, or transition him to a passive owner role. If he resists, you must prioritize the health of the business. Letting a family member slide destroys your authority with the rest of the team.