Sometimes They Have to Go

Tobias Whitmore stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, looking down at the humming manufacturing floor below. The machines clattered and hissed, producing the high-quality industrial parts that had made Whitmore Industries one of the most respected names in the business. He had built this company from scratch, and now it was on the verge of national recognition. His goal was clear: to be known as one of the top producers in the country for his product.

Tobias had always believed that success came from having the right people in the right seats. He’d read about it, studied it, and even preached it to his leadership team. But lately, it felt like the wheels were coming off.

The Foundation

When Tobias started the business, he was the one driving sales, managing operations, and balancing the books. It was exhausting, but the adrenaline of building something from nothing carried him through the early years. As the company grew, Tobias realized he needed help — real help — from people with expertise.

The first big addition to the leadership team was Julian Marks, a sharp-minded entrepreneur who had successfully built and sold a software development business. Julian was cool under pressure, and his grasp of financial strategy gave Tobias the freedom to focus on big-picture growth. Tobias trusted Julian, and Julian respected Tobias’s vision. It was a partnership that worked.

Sales were critical, so Tobias knew he needed a dedicated sales manager. He hired Nick Ryder, a charming and experienced sales executive. Nick had built and led successful sales teams before. On paper, he was perfect. And at first, Nick delivered — building relationships, training the team, and securing new deals.

For operations, Tobias brought in John Fields, a production expert who had previously managed large-scale manufacturing for a national company. John had a reputation for precision and efficiency. Tobias admired John’s technical expertise and saw him as the key to improving production quality and throughput.

The team looked solid. Tobias thought he had all the right pieces in place. He was wrong.

Cracks in the Foundation

Tobias started noticing the issues with Nick first. Sales were leveling off despite increasing market demand. Tobias was frustrated. He sat down with a couple of the sales reps one afternoon to figure out what was happening.

“Nick said what?” Tobias asked, his voice tight.

The sales rep shifted in his seat, uncomfortable. “He said the goals were unrealistic and that he’d work on changing them with you and Julian.”

Tobias’s chest tightened. He had personally laid out those sales goals with Nick and the leadership team just weeks ago. Nick had agreed with them. Smiled and nodded. Said they were aligned.

But now Tobias was hearing that Nick had gone back to the team and undermined the plan.

Tobias called Julian that evening. “I think Nick’s working against us.”

Julian was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “Do you trust him?”

Tobias sighed. “Not anymore.”

Facing the Truth

The next morning, Tobias called Nick into his office. Nick walked in with his usual relaxed smile.

“What’s going on, Tobias?”

Tobias didn’t waste time. “I heard from the sales team that you’re telling them the goals are wrong. That you plan to change them. After we agreed on them as a team.”

Nick’s smile tightened. “Well, yeah, Tobias. I didn’t want to push back in the meeting, but the numbers just don’t work. I figured I’d smooth it over with the team while we adjusted things.”

“So you lied?”

Nick’s eyes narrowed. “I wouldn’t call it lying. I was just trying to keep morale up.”

Tobias leaned back in his chair. “I can’t have that, Nick. I need you to stand behind the decisions we make as a leadership team — even when they’re tough. That’s leadership.”

Nick shrugged. “I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

And that was the moment Tobias knew. Nick wasn’t going to change.

“You’re done here,” Tobias said, his voice steady.

Nick’s eyes widened. “You’re firing me?”

“Yes,” Tobias said. “I need someone I can trust.”

The Problem with John

Julian was supportive of Tobias’s decision, but the Nick situation left the team unsettled. That’s when the issues with John became more apparent.

John was brilliant — technically. He had spent hours designing new production systems, refining manufacturing processes, and improving the supply chain. But there was a problem: the team wasn’t buying in.

Tobias would watch from the catwalk as John delivered detailed presentations to the production teams. They would nod politely, then go right back to doing things the way they always had.

John was getting frustrated. He started talking about firing team leaders who weren’t following his systems.

“They’re not resistant,” Tobias said during a leadership meeting. “They just need more buy-in.”

“They need direction,” John shot back. “You can’t be collaborative with production. They need to follow orders.”

Tobias exchanged a glance with Julian. Julian spoke carefully. “We want to improve the system, John — not replace it. You have to work with the team.”

John shook his head. “That’s not how you hit production targets.”

After months of tension, John asked for a meeting with Tobias. “I don’t think I’m a fit here,” John said. “The way you want to run this company — it’s just not how I work.”

Tobias nodded. “I understand.”

John accepted a job with another manufacturing firm closer to his family.

Building the Right Team

It was a hard year. Losing both Nick and John left holes in the leadership team. But Tobias knew that keeping people who didn’t align with the company’s values would only stall progress.

He and Julian took their time finding replacements. They hired a sales manager who embraced the company’s sales process and an operations manager who had experience with collaborative manufacturing environments. Both were hungry to help the company grow — and they shared Tobias’s vision.

Sales climbed. Production quality improved. But more importantly, the leadership team started functioning like a true team — aligned, communicating, and working toward shared goals.

Tobias stood on the factory floor one afternoon, watching the machines hum and the production lines move smoothly. He knew they weren’t at the top yet — but they were on the way.

Sometimes, you have to let people go to get there.