Getting the Right People in the Right Seats: Insights from People: Dare to Build an Intentional Culture

In the world of business, success is rarely a solo endeavor. It’s built by teams—by the right people doing the right things in the right way. This principle is at the heart of the book People: Dare to Build an Intentional Culture by Gino Wickman and Mark O’Donnell.

For business owners and leaders, hiring and retaining the right people isn’t just about skills and experience. It’s about alignment—ensuring that each person fits the company’s core values, vision, and your culture. When you get this right, everything else becomes easier. When you get it wrong, it leads to frustration, stagnation, and even people leaving your business.

Defining the Right People

The book emphasizes that “right people” are those who share your company’s core values. This isn’t about whether someone is talented or likable—it’s about whether they are truly a culture fit. Wickman and O’Donnell encourage leaders to get crystal clear on their core values and use them as a measuring stick for hiring, developing, and sometimes even parting ways with employees.

Key questions to ask:

• Does this person naturally embody our core values?

• Do they enhance our culture, or do they create friction?

• Would I enthusiastically rehire this person?

Right People in the Right Seats

Having the right people isn’t enough—they also need to be in the right seats. The book reinforces a key EOS® tool: GWC™—which stands for Get It, Want It, and Capacity to Do It. Each person in a seat must:

1. Get it – They understand their role, responsibilities, and how they contribute to the company.

2. Want it – They have the passion and drive for their role, without constant external motivation.

3. Capacity to do it – They have the necessary skills, knowledge, and time to execute their role successfully.

If someone doesn’t meet all three criteria, they’re not in the right seat, and that misalignment will eventually hold the company back.

Building an Intentional Culture

Culture doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built. The book stresses that leaders must be intentional about shaping and reinforcing company culture through hiring, training, and daily leadership. Practical ways to do this include:

• Hiring with Core Values First – Skills can be taught, but values alignment cannot.

• Using the People Analyzer™ – A simple EOS® tool that helps leaders assess whether employees fit the company’s values and whether they are in the right seat.

• Giving Frequent, Honest Feedback – Encouraging open conversations about performance, values alignment, and role fit.

When It’s Time for a Change

One of the toughest leadership decisions is recognizing when someone isn’t a fit. The book doesn’t shy away from this reality: if someone doesn’t align with core values or doesn’t GWC™ their role, it’s time to make a change. Keeping the wrong person too long is one of the most common leadership mistakes. It drags down morale, causes inefficiencies, and ultimately harms both the individual and the business.

By committing to getting the right people in the right seats, leaders build stronger, more resilient organizations. A business thrives when its people thrive—and that starts with intentionality.