One of the most interesting coaching conversations I had recently started with what sounded like a people problem.
A business had grown through acquisition and inherited a senior manager.
On paper, everything looked positive.
Clients liked them.
They'd been with the business for years.
They had experience.
But once the dust had settled, a different picture emerged.
Deadlines were slipping.
Senior leaders were spending far more time supporting them than expected.
And the role they were doing wasn't the role the business actually needed.
The immediate reaction was understandable.
"Do we replace them?"
But I don't think that's the first question leaders should ask.
Too often we treat these situations as a binary choice.
Keep them.
Or let them go.
In reality, there's usually a third option.
One that many businesses skip entirely.
In this coaching session, we worked through three possibilities.
The first was to invest properly in developing them.
Not casually.
Not by hoping things would improve.
By giving them a structured opportunity to succeed.
Clear expectations.
Defined outcomes.
Weekly check-ins.
A fixed timeframe.
Real support.
The second option was to redesign the structure around them.
Absorb responsibilities elsewhere, allowing stronger people to take ownership.
That might solve today's operational issues, but it creates new questions about role clarity, morale and future accountability.
The third option was to replace them.
Sometimes that's the right answer.
But replacing someone comes with costs too.
Recruitment.
Disruption.
Knowledge walking out of the business.
And often, wider relationships that are affected by one person's departure.
None of those options is perfect.
That's leadership.
You're choosing between imperfect options, not waiting for a perfect one to appear.
What mattered most wasn't which option the director chose.
It was how they chose to execute it.
They decided to invest in developing the individual.
My advice was simple.
Don't treat it as informal coaching.
Treat it as a structured accountability programme.
Define exactly what good looks like.
Agree what success will be measured against.
Provide the support they genuinely need.
Then review progress every single week.
Not because you're trying to catch them out.
Because you're giving them every opportunity to succeed.
As leaders, we owe people clarity.
We owe them support.
We owe them honest feedback.
What we don't owe them is indefinite patience without progress.
There comes a point where the responsibility shifts.
The systems are there.
The support is there.
The expectations are clear.
Now it's up to them to step into the role.
Leadership isn't about making difficult decisions quickly.
It's about making fair decisions with clarity, structure and courage.
When you do that, one of two things happens.
People step up.
Or the next decision becomes obvious.
Either way, the business moves forward.
If that feels familiar, feel free to drop me a message, or book a Free Growth Strategy session below - always happy to share perspective on how others are navigating it.
PS: If you’re navigating this right now, Patty McCord (former Netflix HR leader) gives an incredible 5-minute TED Talk on how to have honest performance conversations. Her take on giving people the tools to succeed - and knowing when it’s time to move on with empathy - is a must-watch for any senior leader.
