We’ve all been there. You’ve got one of those good people on your team – hardworking, loyal, fits your team culture – but something just isn’t clicking. They’re not performing the way you need them to, and you’re both starting to feel it. It’s a hard thing to admit, but sometimes it’s not about the person. It’s about the seat.
This is where the whole “right person, wrong seat” thing comes in. It’s a concept I come back to often with clients, especially during those awkward team growth phases. When your business is scaling, shifting, or just waking up to what’s really needed, your team structure, and your culture, gets stress-tested. And that’s when misalignments show.
Let’s get clear on what “wrong seat” actually means.
It doesn’t mean someone’s failing. It means they’re in a role that doesn’t play to their strengths – or worse, actively works against them. In small business, we tend to hire people we like, people who feel aligned, who get the mission. That part is great. But if you don’t regularly zoom out and check: “Is this the right seat for them now?”, you can end up with people stuck in roles they’ve outgrown – or never really fit into in the first place.
Why good people still struggle
Here’s the thing: Values alignment isn’t the same as role fit.
You can have someone who loves what your business stands for. They’re dependable. They care. But they’re drowning in spreadsheets when they’re actually a people-person. Or they’re avoiding the client calls because deep down, they’re wired for back-end systems, not front-facing delivery.
On paper, they’re “doing okay.” But under the surface, they’re stressed, second-guessing themselves, or quietly disengaging.
And you know what happens then? One day, they leave. Or you start quietly hoping they will. Which doesn’t feel great either.
Spotting the signs early
The sooner you notice it, the better your chances of reshaping the seat or saving the relationship.
Start by paying attention to:
- Tasks they procrastinate or avoid
- Energy levels after key parts of their role
- Repeated small mistakes or tension points
- How they talk about their work in casual conversations
If someone’s brilliant in meetings but fumbling through follow-up, they’re likely in the wrong mix of tasks. If they light up during strategy chats but drag through delivery, it’s a clue.
Don’t ignore the subtle signs because “they’re doing their job.” Sometimes “doing fine” is just a holding pattern before burnout.
The cost of misalignment
Letting someone go, even when you know it’s right, always comes with emotional weight. Especially when they’re a good human. Especially if they’ve been with you from early days.
But the hidden cost of keeping someone in the wrong seat? That’s heavier.
It can quietly drag down team morale, create bottlenecks, or erode culture in ways that take months to repair. It’s also unfair to the person stuck in that seat. Because they can feel it too. Most people know when they’re not thriving. They just don’t know how to say it – or feel like they’re letting you down if they do.
Rethinking the bus, not just the seats
Before making any big calls, step back and look at your accountability chart. (If you’ve ever done our Essentials for Scaling workshop, you’ll know what I’m talking about.)
Think about seats – not people. Then map out:
- What the business actually needs now
- What each seat is truly accountable for
- Where your current team’s strengths actually lie
Sometimes the fix is reshaping the role. Other times, it’s recognising that the business has evolved, and this seat isn’t what it used to be. That’s okay.
Growth means change. And change means making decisions that support your vision, your team culture, and your sustainability as a leader.
When to let go and when to rework the seat
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. But here’s my rule of thumb:
- If the person wants to grow with the business and is coachable? It’s worth exploring a new seat.
- If they’re emotionally done, or clinging to the old way of doing things? Letting them go might be the kindest option – for both of you.
I’ve done both. It never gets easy. But it does get clearer the more you do this work.
At the end of the day, team culture isn’t built on keeping everyone comfortable. It’s built on clarity, alignment, and mutual respect.
So if something feels off… don’t ignore it.
You might not need a new person. You might just need to give the right one a better seat.
~ Marama Carmichael
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