The Crisis That Showed Me Who Really Belonged

When we had to downsize from 150 to 45 employees, I thought I knew who my A-players were.

The people who showed up on time. Completed their tasks. Didn't cause obvious problems.

Then we ran every single person through an objective evaluation.

The results shocked me: Only about 30% were actually A-players.

The rest? "Good enough" employees who were quietly holding back growth. People I'd convinced myself were ok performers because they weren't actively failing.

That crisis forced me to ask the question most founders avoid: Who actually belongs here?

What GWC Actually Means (And Why Most Founders Get It Wrong)

GWC is a simple framework from the book Traction by Gino Wickman:

Gets It. Wants It. Can Do It.

But most founders misunderstand what each part actually means. They use it as a checklist instead of a filter.

Here's what GWC really measures:

G - Gets It (They Understand Before You Explain)

Most founders think this means: They understand their job description.

What it actually means: They understand the role, the company vision, AND how their work impacts the bigger picture.

• They see problems before you do
• They understand the "why" behind decisions, not just the "what"
• They connect their daily tasks to company goals without you drawing the lines

Red Flag: You constantly have to explain context or re-explain decisions. If you're repeating yourself, they don't "get it."

W - Wants It (They're Energized, Not Just Employed)

Most founders think this means: They need the paycheck.

What it actually means: They actually want to do THIS specific job at THIS specific company.

• They're energized by the work, not just collecting a salary
• They take initiative without being asked
• They look for ways to improve things instead of waiting for assignments

Red Flag: They do exactly what's asked and nothing more. If they're waiting for instructions, they don't "want it."

C - Capacity to Do It (They Can Handle What's Required)

Most founders think this means: They have the right resume or experience.

What it actually means: They have the mental, physical, and emotional capacity to excel in this role.

• They handle stress without falling apart
• They grow and adapt as the company grows
• They maintain performance when demands increase

Red Flag: They're constantly overwhelmed by normal job demands. If standard expectations feel like crises to them, they don't have the capacity.

Why Most Founders Avoid This Assessment

Let me be direct about why you're not already doing this:

You don't want to admit you made bad hires. It's easier to convince yourself everyone is "fine" than face the truth.

You feel guilty about judging people. But you're not judging their worth as humans. You're assessing if they fit this role at this company.

You're afraid of what you'll discover. Better to hope things work out than confirm they won't.

You think "good enough" is actually good enough. It's not. Good enough employees hurt your company.

The Cost of Avoiding This

While you're hoping B-players become A-players:

Your actual A-players get frustrated carrying dead weight. They see who's not pulling their weight. They wonder why you tolerate it.

You spend 80% of your management time on the bottom 20% of performers. Constant hand-holding, re-doing work, and managing problems.

Growth stalls because you're managing problems instead of building solutions. Every hour spent fixing mediocrity is an hour not spent scaling.

Your best people leave for companies that mostly aim to hire A-players. They go somewhere that maintains standards.

The GWC Assessment Process

Step 1: The Individual Evaluation

For each team member, rate them 1-5 on:

• Gets It: Do they understand their role and its impact?
• Wants It: Are they genuinely motivated by this work?
• Capacity: Can they handle and excel at the demands?

Scoring:

• 4-5 on all three = A-Player (keep and invest in)
• 3 on any category = B-Player (coach or move to right seat)
• 1-2 on any category = Wrong fit (transition out)

Step 2: The Team Impact Analysis

Beyond the numbers, ask:

• Do other team members seek their input?
• Do they solve problems or create them?
• Do they raise the energy in meetings or drain it?
• Would the team function better or worse without them?

Step 3: The Growth Trajectory Test

Look forward, not just at current performance:

• Are they growing with the company or holding it back?
• Do they adapt to new challenges or resist change?
• Are they learning new skills or staying stagnant?
  

What I Learned From Keeping Only The Best

After downsizing to only people who scored 4-5 on all three GWC criteria, something unexpected happened:

The 45 people who remained worked smarter and faster than the original 150.

Why? Because A-players don't need constant management. They don't create unnecessary problems. They don't drain energy from meetings.

They make your job easier, not harder.

The Hard Truth About Your Team

If you're honest with yourself, you already know who doesn't fully meet GWC criteria.

You know who constantly needs hand-holding. Who does the minimum. Who's overwhelmed by normal demands.

The question is: What are you going to do about it?

Keep hoping they'll change? Or make the hard decision that protects your A-players and your company's growth?

Ready to stop losing $20K+ on people who "Get It" on paper but fail in reality?

I've taken everything I learned from evaluating 150+ employees under pressure and turned it into the system my private coaching clients pay $3K-$5K to learn.

The Mastering Recruiting & Hiring Course gives you the complete framework - from job postings to final decisions - that stops you from gambling and starts you hiring A-Players with confidence.

What you get:

• Complete hiring framework beyond CVs and interviews
• Real skills and culture testing (not HR theater)
• Founder's playbook from my experience scaling and exiting companies
• Step-by-step guide you can apply immediately
• Lifetime access to repeat and refine as you grow

Why this works: In 90 minutes, you'll learn a system that saves $20K-$50K on every bad hire you avoid. The ROI is immediate.

→ Start the Mastering Recruiting & Hiring Course

Build a team of A-players, not just warm bodies.

- Ignacio

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