Build up the best team using the “Boat” metaphor

Problem

Knowing when to keep someone on or let someone go is usually a hard call to make. At my company, we regularly review our workforce, which ends up in having to let people go. I, therefore, need a way to decide on who stays and who goes.

Actions taken

I start by using the "boat" metaphor. Your team is a boat. Who is in that boat?

"Who would be my replacement if I happened to leave this team? Who can steer the boat (i.e. team)? Who is a leader? Who has a particular set of skills that will help the team?"

Filling up the boat is a way to rank your direct reports and evaluate how beneficial they are to the team. The key is to start by thinking of who will be in the boat, not by thinking about who will not be in the boat. Ask yourself:

"Who would be my replacement if I happened to leave this team? Who can steer the boat (i.e. team)? Who is a leader? Who has a particular set of skills that will help the team?"

This forces you to look at people beyond their technical expertise in a niche area. Tom may be the go-to expert in one space, but as the industry evolves, and it is likely you will be doing a totally different thing in a few years, would it be more important to ensure Tom (who is very willing to learn, flexible, adaptive, and easy to work with) works on soft skills and starts playing a larger role within the team?

Lessons learned

What's interesting by starting with the people you want in your boat first, is that when considering someone, you evaluate the individual based not just on their performance, but their potential, their responsiveness to feedback and their ability to evolve. The results can be surprising, as it will probably not be the ones you'd think who will get in the boat last.