We have a top-performing salesperson who consistently hits their revenue targets, but they do not live our core values and they frequently ignore our operational processes. Can we keep them in their seat because of their high performance?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Absolutely not. This is the classic Right Seat, Wrong Person dilemma, and it is a toxic virus in any growing company. A person who does not share your core values is a Wrong Person, regardless of how much revenue they generate.

By keeping them in their seat, you are sending a clear message to the rest of your team that high performance excuses bad behavior. This completely destroys your company culture, kills morale, and undermines your authority.

You must use the People Analyzer™ tool to evaluate them objectively against your core values. If they fall below your established bar, you have a values issue that must be addressed immediately.

Sit down with them and show them where they are failing to meet the standard. Give them a clear, thirty-day window to change their behavior. Be specific about what change looks like. If they do not make a permanent, genuine shift, you must terminate them.

It does not matter if they are your top sales producer or your most brilliant engineer. No single employee is worth more than the integrity of your culture and your operating system. Over time, the energy and alignment you gain from having a team of Right People in the Right Seats will far outweigh the temporary revenue dip of losing a toxic high performer.