Most companies end up structured in a way that is very unintentional. Recently I told a new client that many companies end up with an organizational structure that looks much more like a platypus than the stallion your company needs. They got a chuckle out of this. I soon learned that the nervous laughter was because they had created a very haphazard, platypus-like structure and they knew they had work to do.

People are at the foundation of every great business. In order for a team to achieve the company’s vision, the team must be surrounded with truly great people, top to bottom throughout the company.

Many leadership teams know this, but they aren’t aligned on how to do this. Things quickly get muddy when it comes to what action to take, how to execute it, and when. In a survey of business owners, 82% cited people issues as their number one frustration.

Last month, a good client came to me with some concerns. He felt that his organization had been making great strides in defining their purpose, vision, and core values. He also felt like the work we had done together had really helped to restructure the organization and improve internal processes so that the organization was positioned appropriately to meet future goals.

But now, he felt the really hard part was kicking in – people issues. One of the key strengths of the EOS system is to help business owners get the right people in the right seats. However, sometimes that means moving or letting good people go, if there is no longer a seat for them.

A client reached out recently with the following:

“Stacy and I are planning to have a ‘difficult’ conversation with Joe tomorrow. His performance is leaving a lot to be desired. I suspect he will be surprised. We plan to talk in terms of core values, capabilities and accountabilities, but acknowledge that Stacy and I may have created some of this problem by stepping in and assuming some of his responsibilities (rather than holding him accountable). He may be in the wrong seat and, as we define the seats on the Accountability Chart, he may be better suited for a different role. Did we screw up?”

Imagine the scene: you enter the packed press room and immediately sense the energy from the crowd of reporters. You take a seat at the long table amidst what seems like a sea of cameras, microphones, tangled wires, and bright lights. A reporter from Entrepreneur Magazine stands to ask the first question, and a hush falls over the room. “How confident are you that your team can take you all the way to the championships this year?”

How would you answer? Are you confident in your current business team? If you were struck with fear at the thought of answering that question honestly in front of reporters and cameras, or anyone for that matter, keep reading.