The Right Role Isn’t Always the Right Person

I’m a big fan of process and structure. They’ve helped me lead some incredibly complex projects over the years.

But one project taught me that even a good process can create a blind spot if we’re not careful.

Here’s the story behind one of the many leadership scars I’ve collected over the years.

I was leading the development of an entirely new family of HVAC products. The program touched engineering, manufacturing, procurement, product management, quality, and nearly every other discipline in the business.

Needless to say, it was a highly complex effort involving many interrelated projects and a lot of people.

To make sure every department had a voice, we created a simple roster for each project team.

One column listed the function.

The next listed the person representing that function.

For example:

Product Management: Tom G.

Design Engineering: Rob E.

Procurement: Craig S.

You get the idea.

Compared to previous projects, this was a significant improvement. Instead of wondering whether the right departments were represented, we had a clear process that ensured they were.

Our meetings were productive. We debated product features, cost targets, manufacturability, schedules, and countless design decisions. Those conversations were often lively because each department brought a different perspective to the discussion.

I believed we were making solid decisions because we had the right people in the room.

Or so I thought.

One row in the spreadsheet simply said:

Manufacturing

Next to it was the name of one of the most experienced manufacturing engineers in the company. I’ll call him Tony.

Tony wasn’t just an outstanding engineer.

He was also a great teammate.

He listened well, contributed thoughtfully, and wasn’t afraid to speak up when he disagreed. I trusted his judgment completely.

So when we reached the formal design review, I fully expected the manufacturing organization to sign off without hesitation.

Instead, the operations leader at the plant started asking thoughtful questions about how the product would actually be assembled.

He pointed out ergonomic concerns for the people who would spend eight to twelve hours each day building these units.

Then he asked me a question I’ll never forget.

“Who from manufacturing was involved in making these design decisions?”

I answered confidently.

“Tony.”

He smiled and said something that immediately exposed the flaw in my thinking.

“Tony’s a manufacturing engineer. He’s exactly the right person for tooling decisions.

But he isn’t the right person to represent operations.”

That sentence stopped me cold.

Until that moment, I thought I had invited manufacturing into the conversation.

I hadn’t.

I’d invited one perspective from manufacturing.

The immediate fix was obvious.

Our roster no longer needed one row labeled Manufacturing.

It needed two.

Manufacturing Engineering

Operations

Thankfully, we caught the problem early enough that the cross-functional team was able to improve the product before it reached production. We addressed the assembly and ergonomic concerns before they became expensive problems.

It was a near miss.

Looking back, though, I learned something even more valuable than how to improve my spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet wasn’t actually the problem.

My thinking was.

The roster had become a shortcut.

Once I saw “Manufacturing” checked off, I stopped asking whether I truly had the right perspective represented in the room.

I assumed the process had already answered that question for me.

That’s a dangerous assumption for any leader.

Over the years, I’ve wondered how often we confuse roles with people.

We invite Sales.

We invite Finance.

We invite HR.

We invite Operations.

But organizational charts don’t attend meetings.

People do.

Two people with the same title can bring very different experiences, strengths, relationships, and ways of thinking.

Checking the right box on the roster doesn’t necessarily mean you have the right perspective in the room.

That’s one reason I encourage leaders to think intentionally about every important meeting.

Ask yourself:

• Why are we meeting?
• Which perspectives need to be represented?
• Which specific people will contribute the thinking this conversation requires?

Those questions have helped me avoid repeating the mistake I made years ago.

Maybe they’ll help you too.

Perhaps you’ve implemented systems and processes that have dramatically improved how your business operates. That’s something to celebrate.

But every process has blind spots if we stop thinking critically about the people inside it.

Good processes reduce chaos.

Great leaders never let those processes replace discernment.

I hope my story encourages you to look at your own meetings, your own systems, and your own decision-making with fresh eyes.

Another way to gain clarity as a leader is through my Leadership Clarity Scorecard. It’s a free assessment designed to help you recognize where you and your team are strong and identify areas that may deserve more attention.

If you haven’t taken it yet, click here to learn more.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg