Did you know most business failures aren’t about products or pricing, but people? In HVAC, where high demand, seasonal rushes, and staffing challenges collide, the success of your business depends on one thing: having the right people in the right roles.
When roles are misaligned—whether it’s a tech who struggles with installs, an overwhelmed office manager, or a dispatcher who doesn’t fit your culture—everything suffers.
That’s why the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) offers a powerful concept: Right People, Right Seats.
This blog explains what it means, why it matters, and how to apply it to grow a stronger HVAC team.
What It Means: Right People, Right Seats
The right people are team members who live your company’s core values. They align with your culture and elevate your brand.
The right seats are roles where individuals have what EOS calls GWC:
- Get it: They understand the role and what success looks like.
- Want it: They’re motivated and energized by the work.
- Capacity to do it: They have the skills, time, and emotional bandwidth to deliver results.
When someone checks all three boxes, they and your business are positioned to succeed.
Why It Matters in HVAC
HVAC is fast-paced. Add tight labor markets, seasonal swings, and high customer expectations, and you’ve got a recipe for burnout if your team isn’t aligned.
Common misalignment causes include:
- Missed calls and poor customer service
- Burnout and high turnover
- Confusion, bottlenecks, and leadership fire drills
Getting this right allows your HVAC business to:
- Run smoother during peak seasons
- Improve client satisfaction
- Reduce hiring and training costs
- Boost morale and team retention
- Free up leadership to focus on scaling
Applying GWC in Real HVAC Roles
Here are a few instances of how “Right Seats” play out in common HVAC positions:
🧰 Technician
- Gets how equipment and service calls work.
- Wants to help customers.
- Has certifications, stamina, and professionalism.
🗂️ Office Admin
- Gets how to manage scheduling, invoicing, and customer follow-ups.
- Wants to support the team and clients.
- Has the ability to juggle tasks calmly and accurately.
📈 Sales Lead/Comfort Advisor
- Gets how to listen, build trust, and uncover needs.
- Wants to hit goals and help homeowners.
- Has the communication skills and grit to close the job.
If someone’s missing even one part of GWC, they’re not in the right seat.
Tools to Help You Get Aligned
EOS provides two simple but powerful tools to help create alignment. It removes the emotion, ensuring the decisions are based on data alone.
1. People Analyzer
List your core values. Score each team member as:
- “+” – Consistently lives the value
- “+/-” – Sometimes does
- “-” – Rarely does
Then evaluate if they Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity for their current role.
2. Accountability Chart
This is not a traditional org chart. Instead of listing titles or seniority, define the key functions your business needs first. Then match people to roles based on what the company needs today, not on tenure or popularity.
This helps avoid:
- Role overlap
- Gaps in responsibility
- Assigning roles just because “they’ve always done it”
What to Do When Someone Isn’t a Fit
Misalignment usually shows up in one of two ways:
✅ Right Person, Wrong Seat
They match your culture but struggle in their role.
Example: A great communicator stuck in a back-office role.
What to do: Move them to a position where their strengths shine.
❌ Wrong Person, Right Seat
They’re good at the job, but hurt your culture or team morale.
What to do: Have the hard conversation. A top performer who creates toxic fallout will hurt your company more than help it.
Real Talk: What We Did at CI Web Group
This principle applies across all industries. At CI Web Group, we used the “Right People, Right Seats” framework to rethink our entire organizational structure.
We asked the following questions of every team member:
- Does this person’s role align with their strengths?
- Do they reflect our values in how they serve teammates and clients?
- Do they truly want the role they’re in?
In some cases, we moved people into new roles where they could thrive. In others, we made the tough decision to part ways.
The result? A leaner, more focused team and better outcomes for our clients.
Next Steps for HVAC Leaders
Want to build a high-performing team that performs and grows under pressure?
Here’s where to start:
- Define your core values and communicate them regularly.
- Use the People Analyzer to evaluate cultural fit and performance.
- Build an Accountability Chart based on business needs.
- Have honest conversations about GWC.
- Make changes (hard ones if needed) to get people where they belong.
Do You Have the Right People in the Right Seats?
Getting the right people in the right seats can be a significant turning point. It’s the difference between treading water and scaling with confidence.
When your team is aligned:
- Your business runs smoother.
- Customers are happier.
- Chaos turns into clarity.
- And you finally gain the capacity to grow without constant firefighting.
If you’re ready to evaluate your org chart, clarify your roles, and eliminate chaos, schedule a free strategy consultation with our partners at EOS.
