We automated our inventory management system, which completely changed the daily roles of our Warehouse Manager. He is a great culture fit, but he is overwhelmed by the new digital tools and cannot keep up. How do we make a Right Person, Right Seat call when the seat itself has radically evolved?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a tough but necessary call that many owners face during an operational upgrade. Your Warehouse Manager may be a perfect core values fit, making him a Right Person, but if the seat has evolved and he cannot manage the new digital systems, he is no longer in the Right Seat.

To make this call, you must run him through the GWC™ tool specifically against the newly defined roles of the evolved seat. Ask three objective questions:
- Does he get it?
- Does he want it?
- Does he have the capacity to do it?

Getting it means he truly understands the systemic impact of the new inventory software. Wanting it means he is genuinely motivated to use this technology daily. Capacity means he has the mental and technical capability to master the tools and hit his scorecard metrics.

If he fails on any of these three elements, you must accept that he is in the wrong seat. Keeping him in a seat he cannot manage will frustrate him, drag down warehouse efficiency, and damage your operational scalability.

Since he is a Right Person, your first step should be to look for another seat on your Accountability Chart™ where his skills and core values align. If a suitable seat does not exist, you must make the hard decision to transition him out of the company. Protecting the integrity of your Accountability Chart™ is essential for your exit readiness.