We need to clean up our Accountability Chart for a buyer, but several of our long-term employees are sitting in seats where they do not have the GWC. How do we transition them without causing a cultural revolt?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

As you prepare your business for sale, a buyer will look closely at your Accountability Chart to ensure the right people are in the right seats. Long-term employees who helped you start the company often reach their ceiling of complexity. If they no longer GWC™ their seats, keeping them there is an operational liability that buyers will discount. To handle this transition without destroying your company culture, you must address the issue directly and compassionately. Avoid sudden, unexplained demotions. Instead, use your weekly Level 10 Meetings™ and quarterly check-ins to have honest, objective conversations based on the GWC™ framework: do they Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do the job? Often, these long-term employees are aware they are struggling and feel overwhelmed. By focusing on their personal alignment and the future needs of the business, you can often transition them into specialized individual contributor roles where their historical knowledge is highly valued, but where they no longer bottleneck operations. If you must transition them out of the company entirely, do so with generous severance and respect. Show your team that you honor past contributions while remaining committed to the future of the organization. This balanced approach protects your culture, maintains team morale, and ensures your Accountability Chart is clean and defensible when prospective buyers begin their operational due diligence.