We have a loyal, long-term employee who perfectly matches our Core Values but has been completely outgrown by their current seat as we scaled. How do we handle this Right Person, Wrong Seat situation without ruining company morale?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Handling a loyal, long-term employee who has been outgrown by their seat is one of the hardest tests of leadership, but keeping them in a role they can no longer handle will destroy your company culture and operations. You must act with absolute clarity and compassion.

First, confirm that they are indeed a Right Person, Wrong Seat. This means they get a perfect score on your People Analyzer™ for Core Values, but they do not GWC™ their current seat because the complexity of the role has scaled past their abilities.

Your commitment to your Core Values means you do not just discard them. You must look at the Accountability Chart to see if there is another seat where they do GWC™ the responsibilities and where the company actually has a business need. This seat must be a real role with clear accountabilities, not a manufactured position designed just to keep them happy.

If such a seat exists, have an open, vulnerable conversation. Explain that the current seat has evolved into a different role, and transition them to the new seat where they can succeed and build their self-efficacy.

If no such seat exists, you must make the hard decision to let them go. Keeping someone in a seat where they are failing is not kind; it damages their confidence and forces their teammates to carry their weight. Handle their exit with generosity and respect, but do not compromise the integrity of your Accountability Chart.