We have a long-term executive who fits our culture perfectly but is clearly struggling to keep up with the demands of their expanding seat. How do we use the Accountability Chart to handle this without causing a talent exit?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic right person, wrong seat dilemma, and avoiding it will stall your business. You must use the GWC™ tool, which stands for get it, want it, and capacity to do it. Each element is non-negotiable. Get it means they have the natural ability and wiring for the role. Want it means they genuinely desire the responsibility and are not just doing it for the title or salary. Capacity means they have the mental, physical, emotional, and time resources to perform at a high level. In a growing company, seats often grow faster than the people occupying them. If your executive has the core values but lacks the capacity, you have two choices. You can either help them build the capacity through training and support, or you must restructure the seat. This is where the Accountability Chart is invaluable because it focuses on functions, not people. Sit down with the executive and look at the five major roles of their seat. Ask them to honestly assess where they are struggling. You may need to carve out some of his or her responsibilities and create a new seat for a specialist, allowing your executive to focus on what they actually do best. By framing the conversation around the needs of the business and the integrity of the Accountability Chart, you remove the personal sting and find a solution that protects both the person and your operational momentum.