Alex Freytag
We recently published a post about why confidential searches are the wrong way to handle the replacement of “problem employees.” In this post, we are going to talk about the right way to handle an underperforming employee.
The ability to solve your people challenges is a decisive factor in the growth of your business. It’s something we are passionate about here at VisionSpark, and we know it’s important to growth-oriented business leaders whose companies run on EOS®. To tackle this topic, we enlisted the help of EOS Implementer and entrepreneur Alex Freytag. The following post is taken from an interview with him and represents his expertise. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Dealing with underperforming employees is one of the toughest parts of running a business. But it’s also one of the most important—especially if your company uses the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS®). When someone on your team isn’t doing their job well, it can slow down your progress and make it harder to reach your goals.
At VisionSpark, we know how frustrating it can be to face these kinds of “people problems.” That’s why we’re here to help. We teamed up with EOS Implementer and business owner Alex Freytag to share practical tips and real-life advice on how to handle underperformance the right way.
In this blog, you’ll learn how to figure out what’s really going wrong, use EOS tools like the People Analyzer™ and Accountability Chart, and make clear, confident decisions about your team. Whether it means coaching someone, moving them to a different role, or letting them go, we’ll show you how to deal with these tough situations in a thoughtful, effective way.
If you’re looking for smart, simple ways to build a stronger team and grow your business, you’re in the right place.
Understanding the Core Issue
When an employee isn’t meeting expectations, it’s important to figure out why. Often, it’s either a mismatch with your company’s Core Values or an issue with GWC™—they don’t Get it, Want it, or have the Capacity to do it.
Core Values guide how your team behaves. If someone isn’t aligned with them, it affects the whole team. GWC™ helps you see if they truly understand the role, want the job, and have what it takes to do it well.
Finding the root cause is the first step to solving the problem the right way.
TIP: If you are new to EOS, download the EOS Toolbox™ (which includes tools like the People Analyzer™, Accountability Chart, and more) from EOS Worldwide here.
How To Use the EOS People Analyzer™
The People Analyzer™ is a simple but powerful tool from the EOS Toolbox™ that helps you figure out if your team members are the right fit for your company. It looks at two key things: whether they live your Core Values and whether they have GWC™—they Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do the job.
Here’s how it works:
Core Values: Rate each employee on how well they match your values using: “+” = they live the value, “+/-” = sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t, and “-” = they don’t live it at all.
GWC™: Get it – Do they understand the role and what it requires?, Want it – Do they genuinely want to do the job?, Capacity to do it – Do they have the time, skills, and energy to do it well?
The People Analyzer™ gives you a clear, objective way to talk about whether someone is in the right seat. It helps leaders make smarter, fairer decisions.
Assessing the Situation
At VisionSpark, the People Analyzer™ is our starting point when evaluating whether someone is the right fit for their role. It’s a simple spreadsheet tool with your Core Values and GWC™ (Get it, Want it, Capacity to do it) listed across the top.
We usually do this exercise together as a leadership team. Each person scores the team individually, then we compare notes and take an informal average. This process opens up honest conversations about how well someone fits within your culture and team. It’s not about judgment—it’s about clarity. And it’s just the beginning.
Next, we bring in the Accountability Chart to take a closer look at each role in the company. We first look at the seat itself—not the person in it. What does the business need from this seat? What are the key responsibilities? Once that’s clear, we structure it properly in the chart.
Only then do we look at who’s in the seat. We ask the three GWC™ questions:
- Do they Get it? – Do they naturally understand what the job involves? Is this type of work how their brain is wired?
- Do they Want it? – Do they truly want to be in this role, or are they just going through the motions?
- Do they have the Capacity to do it? – Do they have the time, skills, energy, and focus needed to succeed?
“Get it” and “Want it” are usually clear. But Capacity can be more flexible. Sometimes someone doesn’t have the skills yet, but with training and support, they can grow into the role. If they’re a good values fit and show potential, you may choose to invest in their development over time.
Together, the People Analyzer™ and Accountability Chart help you make thoughtful, informed decisions about your team—so every person is in the right seat and fully equipped to thrive.
Determine the Best Course of Action (“decide”)
This is where things can get tricky. After you’ve used the People Analyzer™ and Accountability Chart and had honest conversations about someone’s performance, you’re faced with a decision: What should we do next?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Every situation is different. And no—you don’t automatically fire someone just because they’re falling short.
Yes, you must protect the health of the company, but you also need to ask: Is this person coachable?
Sometimes, underperformance is due to a lack of awareness. The employee might not even realize they’re missing the mark. In those cases, coaching and feedback could help turn things around. For others, it might take additional training or mentoring, maybe even 12 to 18 months to build the skills and capacity they need.
The key question becomes: Can your business afford to wait and invest in that growth?
There are different paths you might take:
- One employee may be a great values fit but needs training—so you invest in them.
- Another might be fundamentally misaligned with your Core Values—so they’re likely not a long-term fit.
- A third may be better suited for a different role—so a lateral move could be the answer.
These are strategic decisions that require careful thought. But the most important thing is to make a decision. As Gino Wickman explains in his short book Decide, leadership is about taking action. It’s not always about making the perfect call—it’s about not getting stuck. Don’t “kick the can down the road” when it comes to people issues. Face them head-on and move forward.
TIP: When you are thinking about letting someone go, it shouldn’t feel like it’s coming out of nowhere. This person’s boss or manager should have been having conversations with them. We call this “entering the danger,” which means having those tough, radically candid conversations that may be uncomfortable. The goal is to do it from a place of love, with the intent of helping the person succeed. For example, the manager might ask, “would you be open to some coaching?” And in these conversations, the manager should be armed with data points, coming at it from a place of facts, versus emotion.
Read related article: The Top 4 Hiring Mistakes Companies Make and How to Avoid Them
Embracing the “36 Hours of Pain”
Making tough decisions, like letting someone go—is never easy. That short period when you’re preparing for and having the difficult conversation can feel painful. This is what EOS founder Gino Wickman calls the “36 hours of pain.”
It’s uncomfortable. You might feel anxious, guilty, or unsure. But here’s the truth: putting it off only stretches out the stress and makes things worse—for you, for the employee, and for the rest of the team. When you face the issue head-on and make a clear, timely decision, you can move forward quickly. Most of the time, people say, “I should’ve done that sooner.”
Handling these situations promptly helps protect your culture, maintain morale, and show your team that you care enough to address what isn’t working.
Helping Your Team Move Forward
One of the biggest fears leaders have is, “What if we don’t have anyone to replace them?” But more often than not, when you remove the wrong person, others step up. Team members who’ve been waiting for a chance to grow often reveal strengths and leadership potential you hadn’t seen before.
Also, you’re not stuck. You can bring in temporary help or use outsourced talent to fill the gap while you search for the right long-term solution. There are always options—but keeping someone in a role they’re not right for is not one of them.
Taking Responsibility as a Leader
When someone isn’t performing well, it’s easy to blame the person. But strong leaders go deeper. They ask, “What could I have done differently?”
Maybe the role wasn’t clearly defined. Maybe the person wasn’t trained properly. Maybe expectations weren’t communicated well. As leadership coach Kim Scott says in Radical Candor, a better question is: “How did I fail this person?”
This kind of self-reflection leads to growth—not just for the individual, but for the whole company. It builds a culture where people take ownership, support each other, and are always working to improve. And that’s the kind of environment where the right people thrive.
Solving people problems isn’t just about avoiding conflict—it’s about building a healthier, stronger organization. By using proven EOS tools like the People Analyzer™ and Accountability Chart, and by making timely, thoughtful decisions, you can create a team that’s fully aligned, motivated, and ready to help your business grow.
The ultimate goal? Getting the right people in the right seats and keeping them there. When that happens, productivity improves, culture strengthens, and leadership becomes easier.
Ready to take the next step? Contact VisionSpark today to learn how we can help you strengthen your team, improve hiring decisions, and build a thriving workplace culture. Let’s solve your people problems—together.
