This week’s inspiration? The sauna!

I know, not a typical space to gather business insight, but stick with me.

I prefer a quiet, contemplative setting for my 15 minutes of dry heat, but, that’s not always what I get. Last month, I didn’t mind because I overheard a local business owner say to another sauna mate:

“I just need someone else in my business pushing forward 1% every day.”

I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help overhearing (small spaces, you know?).

My first thought: Should I pitch this guy? I decided this wasn’t the place, but the comment stuck with me.

This owner felt his team wasn’t pushing hard enough in the direction he envisioned for the business. Leave aside whether real performance or fit issues exist, the comment reminded me of a key tenet of the People pillar in EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System)—GWC.

What is GWC?

GWC stands for:

Get it
Want it
Capacity to do it

The idea is that when you’re analyzing your existing team, or hiring, you use this framework to help get the right people in the right seats.

Get it: They understand the role, people, culture and systems. They also understand how their job fits into the organization.
Want it: They genuinely want to do the job they’re assigned.
Capacity to do it: They have the time, mental, physical and emotional capacity to do the job well.

For my sauna stranger, one reason he may feel frustrated and alone in trying to make the business 1% better each day could stem from a poor role fit.

If you’re also reading this and thinking, “Yes, I understand this guy,” here’s what I suggest.

Step 1: Clearly define roles

Before conducting individual evaluations, make sure you’ve documented the following for each role on your team (full-time, part-time and contract):

A clear job description
Key responsibilities
Reporting structure
How the role aligns to strategy and core values

Step 2: Evaluate individuals against GWC

Assess several key questions across GWC:

Get it

Does this person understand what success looks like in this role?
Does this person know how the role fits into the bigger picture?
Does this person frequently get confused about expectations and require consistent clarification?

Want it

Does this person show enthusiasm for the work required?
Does this person exhibit internal motivation, or are they just going through the motions?
If given the choice, would this person actively pursue this role?

Capacity to do it

Does this person have the technical skills required to execute?
Does this person have the EQ and leadership ability required?
Does this person have the time, energy and will to fulfill what’s expected of the role?

If you answer “No” to any of these questions, you likely need to dig deeper to assess whether there’s a training gap, a better-fitting seat for that person or if you have a more difficult decision ahead.

The impact of poor fit

For any team, but especially small ones, a poor fit can have significant ripple effects, including:

A hit to overall morale, productivity and engagement.
Weakening the culture you’ve made an effort to cultivate.
Slowed down decision-making and execution.
Being unfair to the team member in question.
Weakens accountability and erodes trust in leadership.

The business owner in the sauna knows something is off, but I think he’s yet to pinpoint the root cause. With the right team and strong leadership in place, you shouldn’t feel this drag. Instead, you should experience everyone pushing alongside you. When everyone understands their role, aligns to your vision and has the right tools to execute, it will be more than a 1% push forward you experience each day.

P.S. - If you’re not familiar with EOS and want to learn more, I highly recommend reading Traction as a primer.

OVERHEARD IN THE…🧖‍♀️