Getting the Right People in the Right Seats

As we step into 2025, many of us in formal leadership roles will be looking to hire new talent. Of course, we want to do all we can to retain our top performers, our A’s and B’s. But sometimes turnover is unavoidable, and it falls into two categories:

Regrettable Turnover: Losing an A or B player. You feel the void.

Un-regrettable Turnover: Losing someone who isn’t performing at the desired level, which creates an opportunity to put the right person in the right seat on the bus.

Have You Stack-Ranked Your Team?

If there are people on your team who wouldn’t be considered regrettable losses, here are a few leadership responsibilities to consider:

Transparency & Candid Conversations

Be honest about where each employee stands: Are they an A, B, or C player and why?

If they don’t know, shame on us as leaders. As the book Crucial Conversations says, “If you don’t talk it out, you act it out.” Open, honest feedback is essential, otherwise your frustration will manifest itself.

Set Them Up for Success

Double check your training programs and KPIs to make sure every team member has what they need to excel. Are you measuring the right metrics? Are you giving them the right tools?

Right Person, Wrong Seat?

Sometimes an employee is the right person for your organization, but in the wrong role. Talent management is about placing people where they can thrive.

Think of Moneyball: Billy Beane excelled at finding hidden gems and shifting players into roles where they were most effective. It’s a powerful lesson in seeing talent from a fresh perspective. If you have not seen this movie, check it out! Lot's of business application here.

Hiring or Backfilling in 2025

If you do need to replace or backfill, consider how you’ll do it better this time:

Behavioral-Based Interviewing: This is a powerful way to assess future performance based on past behavior. I’ll dive deeper into this method in my next blog.

Remember the Opportunity Cost

Every employee gives up other opportunities to join (or remain in) your organization. They’re investing in you just as much as you invest in them. That calls for mutual loyalty and respect.