GWC™: Get it vs Capacity

Over the past year, we’ve all experienced a lot of changes, from the way we live our day-to-day lives to the way we do business. As we transition into a post-pandemic world, it is important to regularly re-evaluate your business, and every person in your business, because there is no doubt that things have changed—whether you know it or not.

That is why the Entrepreneurial Operating System lives in a 90-day world. Every 90-days I take a look into your business to make sure everyone and every part of your business is still aligned with your vision. And if it isn’t, then changes need to be made.

When it comes to the people in your organization, sometimes it’s because that star employee isn’t performing the way they used to and it’s bringing issues to the rest of the organization. Or it could be that the organization has changed. Roles have expanded outside of their original responsibilities to address the new needs of the organization. And, in result, this has made less time to focus on the other things that matter. When determining if the people in your organization are the right fit, EOS provides leaders with tools to help them see clearly and have real conversations about what is working and what needs to change.

GWC

When I work with teams struggling with people issues, I introduce them to one of the EOS tools, the GWC (Get it, Want it, Capacity to Do It), and ask them these three questions:

  • Do they GET it? – Do they truly understand exactly how to do their role? It’s not about knowing what the role is, but do they have the natural ability to do it.
  • Do they WANT it? – Do they wake up excited to come to work? Do they love what they do and want to do it? Do they believe in what they and the organization are doing?
  • Do they have the CAPACITY to do it? – Do they have the capability to do the job and do it well? Is the person able to meet the expectations set for the role that they were hired for?

These are yes or no questions. If you think the answer to one of them is maybe, it’s more realistic that the answer is no. The GWC is meant to provide a clear-cut way for leadership teams to identify if they have the right people in the right seats in their organization—so that means no wishy-washy answers.

Get it vs Capacity

One of the biggest things I see people struggle with when trying to evaluate an employee’s GWC is understanding the difference between getting it and capacity to do it. The simple answer that I give? Gets it = born with it. While capacity = developed along the way.

When someone “gets it” they have a deep understanding of what their role is and the various functions and responsibilities that role has. They implicitly understand all the in’s and out’s of the job. That’s why if someone in your organization gets a “no” in getting it, it isn’t really fixable. If someone doesn’t get it, they likely never will, and for the success of your organization, you need to find someone who does.

Take me for example. I am a HORRIBLE cook. I was simply not born with this skill. If the job was about being a chef, I would not “GET” the job because I don’t have the natural capability. If something were to go wrong in the kitchen and a recipe needed to be changed, I would not have the ability to know how to adapt to the situation the way someone with the natural ability to cook would.

On the other hand, capacity is about the mental, physical and emotional ability to do the job. Maybe a certification is necessary. Sometimes, it’s about having enough time, but not always. When someone has the capacity to do it, they are capable of doing the work that needs to be done. But, while a “get it” issue can’t be easily fixed, sometimes a capacity issue can. If it’s something as simple as needing a certain skill or having too large of a workload, then maybe the answer is to provide training or help that person delegate and elevate their tasks so that they have more time.

Going back to the cooking example, while I am a horrible cook, I do have the capability to read and follow instructions. If the job involved just following the instructions and not creating my own recipes, I could do the job. But honestly, I wouldn’t “WANT it”. Nor was I born with the natural abilities to be successful at it. You should never hire me as a cook for your restaurant, but maybe there is another seat that I would be a better Right Seat for.

Applying the GWC Tool to Hiring Decisions

I recently worked with a client who was hiring a new Executive Director. After interviewing each candidate, we used the EOS People Analyzer and GWC tools. Within 30 minutes of our meeting, we were able to assess which candidates were the right people fit and which were the right seat fits, narrowing the hiring pool down to 2 candidates. With the remaining candidates, we knew exactly what the concerns were that we needed to get more information on. Then, after a discussion with each candidate, the team had their answer and the person was onboarded within weeks. Now, they are such a good fit that it feels like they have been working there forever.

So, with a better understanding of GWC, think about all the people on your own team. Is there anyone sitting in a seat currently that you think doesn’t get it, want it, or have the capacity to do it? When you have an employee who is the right fit and in the right seat it can be amazing, but when you have an employee who is not the right person in the right seat, they are slowly killing you from the inside. Often in ways you can’t even see. If you want to achieve your vision, every person in your organization must be the right fit for both the organization and the job.

If you need help determining whether the people in your organization get it, want it, and have the capacity to do it, reach out to me! I can introduce you to the Entrepreneurial Operating System and it’s easy to use processes and resources to help you make the best decisions for your organization to experience the success and growth you have been waiting for.

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