Building the Right Team: Aligning People with Core Values and Roles
Every organization depends on its people to succeed. But having the right people in the wrong roles—or having people who don’t align with your company’s values—can create inefficiencies, lower morale, and block progress. To build a strong, high-performing team, you need to focus on two essentials: finding the right people and ensuring they are in the right seats.
Why the Right People and the Right Seats Matter
Your organization’s success is determined not just by your team’s skills but also by their alignment with your culture and vision. Misalignment can lead to confusion, frustration, and wasted energy as team members struggle to work together effectively or fulfill unclear roles.
To overcome these challenges, leaders must ask two critical questions about every team member:
Are they the right person for the organization?
Are they in the right role for their skills and passions?
The answers to these questions can define the difference between a team that thrives or stagnates.
The Two Essentials: Right People and Right Seats
Right People
The right people share your company’s core values and thrive in your culture. These are individuals who not only contribute their skills but also enhance the environment through their alignment with your vision and values. They are the kind of people you want on your team because they make the organization a better place.
Right Seats
The right seat means team members operate within their areas of greatest strength and passion. They understand their responsibilities, have the skills to succeed, and are positioned to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s goals. Clear roles and expectations are critical for ensuring employees perform at their best.
The Right People, Right Seats Framework
Achieving the right balance of people and roles requires a thoughtful and intentional approach.
What It Means
Having the right people ensures alignment with your organization’s culture and values. When team members believe in your mission and demonstrate behaviours consistent with your values, they naturally contribute to a positive and productive workplace.
Having the right seats means employees are set up for success by being placed in roles that align with their strengths and passions. It’s not enough for someone to simply meet the qualifications for a job; they need to thrive in it.
How It Works
Evaluate your team against these two criteria to identify areas of alignment and misalignment. Ask yourself:
Does this person reflect our core values in their daily actions?
Is this person excelling in their current role, or would they thrive elsewhere in the organization?
When misalignment occurs, structural issues often emerge. Unclear roles, overlapping responsibilities, or unrealistic expectations can lead to confusion and inefficiency. By clarifying expectations and ensuring the right fit, you create a foundation for your team to perform at its best.
Why It’s Critical
A hazy structure may have worked up to this point, but it won’t support future growth. To achieve your vision, you need a team that’s fully aligned with your values and focused on clear, achievable goals. People in the right seats bring their best to work every day, creating momentum and fostering innovation.
Build a Team That Drives Success
Building the right team isn’t just about hiring for skills; it’s about creating alignment between your people and your vision. Success starts with ensuring that the right people are in the right seats.
When your team reflects your values and is positioned to succeed in their roles, your organization will gain clarity, focus, and the traction needed to achieve its goals. Take a closer look at your team today, and make the changes necessary to align your people with your vision. The results will be transformative.
NOTE: This blog shares insights from the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), a proven framework that has been key to IGN’s success. By implementing EOS, we’ve grown, aligned our teams, and achieved consistent results across the organization.