Right People / Right Seat

We’re rounding into summer here in Chapel Hill - we found the box with the flip flops after our move. We also had a fence installed, and when I shared that with a friend recently, he asked if I had done it myself. I definitely do not GWC a fence-building seat.

Many of my recent sessions have had an accountability chart focus as well. A handful of new clients have had their “Focus Day” sessions, during which we spend a lot of time on Accountability Chart, and a few other clients are considering and/or implementing significant Accountability Chart changes.

You might be wondering why, then, did I use the headline of Right People / Right Seat? The reason is that exact tension is what I want to dig into! 

You probably use the People Analyzer tool often - in Quarterly Conversations with your team, when trying to put your finger on something that “feels off” with a team member, etc. It’s a functional and simple tool to use quickly.

Here’s what I hear in sessions often when asking about RP/RS issues - “Jane is below the bar on Core Values” or “John doesn’t GWC their seat.” And that’s fine! It’s likely you will always have an issue or two like that to deal with.

But don’t stop there!  If you have recurring RP/RS issues, please make sure you’re not assuming the Accountability Chart is in good order! A few reminders for you on how to build your Accountability Chart:

1. The Accountability Chart (AC) should be future oriented. What is the right structure to get your one year plan all the way done. The Accountability Chart should not be a reflection of the past - if it hasn’t changed in a while, it probably needs to!
2. The AC should be created with a function-first mindset. What are the key functions needed by the company? What are the roles of those functions in your organization? Do not build your AC for your current team. The AC serves the company you’re building, regardless of who is in what seat.
3. Build the AC to organize the human energy of the company into the right teams to solve issues that come up as quickly as possible, and create clear accountability for those teams to get the right work done. Is your team organized in a way and with the clarity of purpose to solve the right issues as quickly as possible?

Ultimately, the Accountability Chart is one of the five foundational tools of EOS. The People Analyzer is not. If you have the feeling you’re dealing with more People issues than you should be, your instinct might be to reach for the People Analyzer. Do that! But maybe after you take a closer look at your Accountability Chart using the simple list:

1. Is this the right AC for the next 6-12 months?
2. Are all seats defined clearly and correctly from a company-first perspective?
3. Are the teams on the AC put together in a way that allows teams to solve problems quickly and as autonomously as possible?

All 10's on Accountability Chart

Three new things

A few things I've been working on:

1. Headstart: Upload your accountability chart and process documents, assign training to seats, and use AI to generate quizzes to get a gauge on team members' comprehension. I vibe-coded this, have two clients using it, and would love to get your feedback if you have time. https://processheadstart.lovable.app
2. Profit Works Coaching: At my IT company, we had a company-wide incentive plan based on the book Profit Works by Alex Freytag. I'm now licensed and certified to help design and implement incentive plans for others using his framework. Happy to send a copy of the book to anyone struggling with creating relevant incentive structures for their organization. https://www.profitworksllc.com
3. Data Workshop in Raleigh: Not my creation, but this has been popular in the EOS community around the country. $995 per person, full-day workshop with some pretty impressive guarantees (and actual results). https://unstoppable-biz.com