We are reviewing our Accountability Chart and our top-performing sales manager, who is on track to double our revenue, repeatedly ignores our core value of Help First. How do we handle this right-person-right-seat call when his financial contribution is so high?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is one of the toughest decisions an owner has to make, but the answer is clear. You have a right-seat, wrong-person issue. Your sales manager is in the right seat on your Accountability Chart because he excels at his technical roles and gets, wants, and has the capacity for the job. However, he is the wrong person because he does not live your core values.

Allowing a high performer to violate your core values, like Help First, sends a dangerous message to your entire organization. It tells everyone else that performance is more important than culture, which destroys trust and alignment. Over time, this toxicity will cause your best people to leave and will erode your company's foundation.

You must address this issue immediately. Sit down with him and have a direct, honest conversation. Use specific examples of when his behavior did not align with Help First. Give him a clear timeline, typically thirty days, to change his behavior.

If he does not show consistent improvement, you must let him go, regardless of his sales numbers. Protecting your culture is vital, especially if you are preparing for a clean exit. Buyers look closely at organizational health and leadership alignment, not just short-term revenue.