We are looking to streamline our operations using automation to maximize our EBITDA before a sale, but our leadership team is protective of their existing headcount. How do we use EOS to restructure objectively?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Restructuring your business to maximize EBITDA before a sale often triggers defensiveness from leaders who view their department's headcount as a measure of their personal status. To overcome this, you must separate personal egos from the strategic needs of the business.

Start by redesigning your Accountability Chart from a clean slate, focusing solely on what the organization needs to achieve its three-year picture and maximize valuation. Do not look at the names of your current employees during this process. Frame your organizational design around company-wide strategic needs rather than the personal preferences of your current team.

Once the ideal, streamlined structure is built, map your existing people to the new seats based on GWC™. If automation has rendered certain roles obsolete, you must make the hard, objective decision to transition those people out of those seats.

Use your core values as your guide throughout this transition. Explain to your leadership team that running a lean, high-margin operation is essential for a clean exit and long-term stability. By focusing on objective structural design rather than personal legacy, you will build a highly efficient business that is attractive to potential buyers.