Our COO was one of our first hires ten years ago and clearly has the intellect and skill for the job, but it is obvious to everyone that he simply does not Want the seat anymore. How do we address a GWC Want It failure with a core leader who refuses to admit they have lost their fire?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A Want failure with a capable, tenured leader is common as companies mature. In EOS, GWC requires that a person Gets it, Wants it, and has the Capacity to do it. Wanting it means genuine passion, fire in the belly, and waking up eager to tackle the friction of that specific seat every single day.

When a long-tenured leader has mastered the skills but secretly despises the daily reality of managing people, solving recurring fires, or driving scale, their disengagement spreads throughout the team. They check the boxes, but they do not lead.

Address this through an honest, one-on-one conversation outside your Level 10 Meeting. Frame the discussion around the five major roles of their seat on the Accountability Chart, not their past contributions. Ask them direct questions:

- If you could design your ideal contribution to this company over the next three years, does it look like this seat?
- Does the grind of this seat energize you, or does it drain your battery?
- Are you staying in this seat out of duty, pride, or genuine desire?

Most tenured leaders who fail the Want component know it long before you bring it up. They cling to the title because their identity is tied to being an executive. Give them permission to put the company first. Help them step out of that seat with dignity. That may mean transitioning to an individual contributor technical seat, an advisory role, or orchestrating a clean exit from the company. Allowing a leader who does not want their seat to remain in place paralyzes accountability across the entire organization.