I'm going to say something that creates a lot of discomfort, and I'm not going to apologize for it.
Keeping someone in a role they're not right for isn't loyalty. It's avoidance dressed up in a nicer outfit. Like keeping those jeans from 2005 in the closet because "they might fit again someday." They won't. And deep down you know it. So long size 6!
I've worked with business owners who were clearly stressing over this one. "They've been with me since the beginning." "They're such a great person." "He's my son-in-law." "I feel like I owe them." And I get it, I really do. That loyalty comes from a genuine place and I respect it. But while you're protecting that one person, the rest of the team is quietly picking up the slack, growing more frustrated by the week, wondering when somebody is going to address the obvious. And the person in the wrong seat? Nine times out of ten they feel it too. They know something's off even if nobody has the courage to say it out loud.
In EOS the People Component comes down to one idea that sounds simple until you actually have to live it. Right People. Right Seats. You have to have both.
Right People means they share your Core Values. We measure that with a tool called the People Analyzer. You assess everyone in the organization as to whether or not they consistently exhibit your core values. It's not a feel-good exercise. It's a mirror, and sometimes the reflection is uncomfortable.
Right Seat means they GWC their role. Do they Get it, do they Want it, and do they have the Capacity to do it? All three have to be a yes. Not two out of three, not "kind of" on one of them. All three.
You can have someone who's a perfect culture fit but sitting in a seat that doesn't match their wiring, or someone who's brilliant at the job but toxic to the culture. Either way, it's not working, and I promise you the rest of the team already knows it even if nobody is saying it out loud.
This exercise is never comfortable for the leadership teams having to make those tough decisions. I've watched grown men who run multi-million dollar companies squirm like they're sitting in a middle school principal's office. But every single time they finally make the move, the response is always the same. "We should've done that a long time ago."
Is there someone on your team right now that you know isn't Right Person, Right Seat, but you've been avoiding the conversation?
I help leadership teams work through this exercise. I'd love to help you too.
About Me
As a Professional EOS® Implementer, I serve as a teacher, coach, and facilitator, helping business leaders transform their companies through the Entrepreneurial Operating System®.
Helping leadership teams gain clarity and Traction is not just something I do. It is the work I am built for. And it brings me immense joy to help entrepreneurial companies run a better business and live a better life.
