DEVELOP OR REPLACE : As you examine your firm ’ s key positions , be brutally honest with yourself . Be prepared to recognize any positions that are not currently filled with A + players . It is at this point that you , as the leader and firm owner , must decide on your action plan . You basically have 2 viable choices : You can : 1 ) Develop the current employee into an A + player , or 2 ) Replace that employee with someone who is an A + player . ( Replace doesn ’ t necessarily mean fire . It may mean shifting them into a different seat )
There is no hard and fast rule here , and either approach can work . As Collins notes : “ Looking across the best leaders we ’ ve studied , we see about a 50 / 50 split between those who tilted toward develop and those who tilted toward replace .” Id . Personally , I always try to develop a current employee into an A + player if it is possible . That method meshes with my personal core values and belief in giving everyone a fair shot when possible .
If you opt to try and develop a sub-A + player , how do you know when it ’ s time to “ cut bait ” and replace them ? Applying the Be 2.0 principles , ask yourself six critical questions when you face this dilemma :