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Jim Collins, in his book Good to Great, says get the right people on the bus, then into the right seats. But how do you tell the difference between the right person in the wrong seat and someone who isn't right for the bus at all?

The symptoms of underperformance look exactly the same. Before deciding someone is the wrong person, check whether changing the seat or environment makes a difference. I start with these questions:

• Is the person in the right environment? Are expectations clear? Do they have enough authority and support to succeed? Good people can struggle in broken systems.

• Does the person have agency and are they good to work with? Do they take ownership, make sound decisions and learn from feedback? Do they challenge ideas constructively or mostly complain and blame others?

• Does the role match the person's strengths? Does the job match their strengths and interests? Have they performed better with different responsibilities or in other areas?