My childhood best friend is our head of HR, but as we scale, it is clear they do not GWC™ the seat and the team has lost confidence in them. How do I handle this transition professionally without destroying a lifelong friendship?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is one of the hardest challenges an owner will face, but you must prioritize the health of the organization. Keeping a friend in a leadership seat they do not GWC™ is not helping them, and it is destroying your team's trust in your leadership. You must do the right thing.

Start by separating the relationship from the seat. Use the Accountability Chart to evaluate their performance objectively. Do they understand the role, do they want it, and do they have the actual capacity to execute it at your current scale? If the answer is no, you must have an open and honest conversation, operating from our core value of Help First.

Do not surprise them. Use your weekly check-ins to mirror back their struggles. Focus purely on the roles of the seat and the data on the Scorecard. When it is time to make the change, explain that the business has outgrown the seat and that keeping them in it is setting them up to fail.

If possible, offer them a different seat in the company where they can succeed and truly GWC™ the roles. If no such seat exists, or if they reject the transition, you must part ways with respect. Frame the separation around the business's needs, not their personal worth. While it may strain the friendship temporarily, handled with love and respect, it is the only way to protect both the business and your personal integrity.