Today, we pose an unusual and rarely-asked question. If you are a business owner, whether you are the founder of your company or have come into the position in some other way, are you the right person to be sitting in the seat at the head of your company?
This question may startle or even offend you. But consider: as the leader of your business, you spend a lot of your time getting the right people into the right seats in your company. Isn’t it appropriate to assess yourself in like manner?
Businesses Change. So Do Business Owners.
In EOS®, we use the GWC™ tool to assess if a person is qualified to be in a seat. GWC stands for Gets It, Wants It, and Capacity. That is, for a person to be in the right seat, they have to get the role, want the job, and have the capacity to execute the responsibilities at a high level.
Most business owners fulfill all three requirements initially. For example, a person who successfully founds a business clearly understands the role, wants to build the company, and has the capacity to get the job done. Here comes the “but.” BUT, over time, the company, the owner, or both can change in such a way that the owner is no longer the right person to be at the helm of the organizational ship. Circumstances can change in a myriad of ways, such as:
- The owner wants to concentrate their energy on one specific aspect of the business, such as innovating new products or working with customer accounts
- The size and complexity of the company or the demands of the seat have outgrown the skillset of the business owner
- A life change (e.g., marriage, children, illness, death) impacts either the owner’s desire or ability to lead the company
- The owner’s interests have evolved into a new direction that is outside the company’s scope
For example, suppose a mechanical engineer forms a company to manufacture metal-working equipment. He is a brilliant innovator and, while the company is in its formative years with just a handful of people, he develops new products while providing the oversight and decision-making necessary to get established in the industry. Subsequently, however, when the company has 50 people in it and orders are coming in a steady stream, he finds that he spends all his time behind his desk (which he hates) and none on the shop floor (which he loves). He no longer fulfills the GWC requirements because he doesn’t want the responsibilities of the seat he is sitting in.
Life changes. People change. Businesses change. It is up to us to respond wisely to the changes taking place within and around us.
Recognizing the Disconnect
As an Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS) implementer, I can testify to the pain, anguish, frustration, and confusion business owners experience when they are not the right person to be sitting in the seat they are occupying. I hear statements like:
- “I like some parts of my job, but other aspects are completely draining me.”
- “I do what I have to, but it takes every ounce of willpower every minute of the day.”
- “I find myself taking my frustrations out at home.”
- “I don’t feel in control; I’m afraid I’m in over my head.”
- “I feel apathetic – I don’t wake up excited about the day anymore.”
If you as the business owner are feeling like this, it obviously will have ramifications for your company. After all, you can’t make the best decisions for your business when you are less than fully engaged, and you can’t be fully engaged if you are not passionate about and skilled at what you are doing. At some point, you may even find tasks and deadlines slipping through the cracks. Your direction and communication will likely become inconsistent. Within short order, your leadership team will pick up on the nonverbal cues you are sending out and will respond with frustration, anxiety, or uncertainty – none of which are helpful for your business.
Moving Forward to Optimal Outcomes
So, if you are a business owner, the question is before you: “Are you the right person to be sitting in the seat at the head of your company?” If you GWC the seat – you get it, you want it, and you have the capacity to do it – that is terrific. Get back to your day and knock one out of the park!
But if your answer carries the honest admission that you are not fiercely committed to and abundantly fulfilled in your current role and/or you are not sure you are able to deliver everything the business needs from the role, then you have further work to do:
1. Know yourself. The first step to take is to some additional personal probing. Identify your passions and strengths. Discern where your current interests lie. Pinpoint which aspects of your role are and aren’t working well.
2. Get outside input. Ask people whom you trust for their feedback. For instance, you might talk to a peer group of other business owners for their experience and insights. A business coach can provide an objective perspective on your role and your company. Your leadership team can offer invaluable input if you have build a culture of mutual respect and transparency.
3. Decide what to change. Take it as a given that something has to change if you don’t GWC your seat, because maintaining the status quo would be unhealthy for you and your business in the long-run. You might decide that you need to change:
- Yourself, e.g., by augmenting your leadership skillset to execute more effectively in the role
- Your responsibilities, e.g., by delegating certain tasks to others, particularly to an Integrator
- Your seat, e.g., by removing yourself from your current role and moving to or creating a seat within the company that is a better fit for you
- Your purpose, e.g., by resigning from the company to move to a new organization, begin a new phase of life, or start a new business
The question “Are you the right person to be sitting in the seat at the head of your company?” may not be easy to answer as a business owner. But when you take the time to answer it truthfully, it is always beneficial. If you are the right person in the right seat, you have that much more confirmation that you have what it takes. If you and the seat are not well aligned, you have taken the first step to correcting the situation – and that will ultimately drive the best outcomes for both you and your business.
