When Top Producers Become Growth Blockers

Every business owner eventually faces one of the hardest leadership challenges there is: what do you do when someone is producing results—but refusing to grow with the company?

Maybe they’re hitting their sales numbers.

Maybe they’ve been with you for years.

Maybe they were instrumental in helping build your business.

But despite all of that… they resist change, reject accountability, undermine leadership, and quietly (or loudly) work against the direction your company is heading.

In EOS® terms, these individuals are often referred to as “Enemies” or “Rats.” While the terminology may sound harsh, the reality is even harsher: keeping the wrong people on your team simply because they produce revenue can severely stunt your company’s growth.

Let’s Break It Down

Within EOS®, the concept of Right People, Right Seats (RPRS) is foundational to building a healthy organization. It means ensuring every person in your company:

• Aligns with your Core Values (Right People)

• Genuinely Gets It, Wants It, and has the Capacity to do their role (Right Seat)

When someone doesn’t fit into that framework, you may find yourself dealing with one of the following:

• Wrong Person, Right Seat (“Enemy”) – They perform well in the role, but do not align with company culture or core values.

• Wrong Person, Wrong Seat (“Rat”) – They neither fit the culture nor perform effectively in the role.

EOS teaches that both are dangerous—but “Enemies” can often be the trickiest because they appear successful on paper.

The Hidden Cost of Keeping High Producers Who Hurt the Culture

One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is allowing a high-performing salesperson or revenue producer to stay simply because they “bring in too much money to lose.”

But here’s the truth: if they are not helping the business evolve, they are actively holding it back.

These employees often:

• Resist new processes or systems

• Push back on accountability

• Refuse coaching or feedback

• Create negativity among the team

• Undermine leadership decisions

• Foster a “rules don’t apply to me” mentality

And while their numbers may look fine today, the long-term damage they create behind the scenes can cost far more than the revenue they generate.

A toxic high performer can destroy morale, drive away great employees, and create bottlenecks that prevent your organization from scaling.

Past Performance Does Not Equal Future Fit

Here’s the part many leaders struggle with most:

Just because someone helped get you here doesn’t mean they are the right person to help get you there.

Businesses evolve.

Expectations change.

Roles Expand.

Systems mature.

The person who thrived in your scrappy startup phase may not thrive in your growth or scaling phase—and that’s okay.

As a leader, your responsibility is not to reward longevity over alignment.Your responsibility is to protect the future of the business.

Coach Up or Coach Out

At CBLTM, we firmly believe in supporting people first. That means you don’t immediately jump to termination—you start with coaching.

Have the honest conversation.

Set the expectations.

Provide direct feedback.

Offer support and a path forward.

EOS’s 5-5-5™ conversation framework is a fantastic tool for this, creating regular check-ins where feedback flows both ways and expectations stay clear.

But if after coaching, support, and clarity they still refuse to grow?

Then it’s time to coach out.

Because here’s the hard truth every leader needs to hear:

Keeping one toxic top performer because you're afraid of losing revenue sends a message to your entire team that culture and accountability are optional.

And once that happens, your standards begin to erode.

Leadership Requires Courage

Letting go of a strong salesperson or veteran employee can feel terrifying. It may feel risky. It may feel like you’re cutting off your nose to spite your face.

But more often than not, once these individuals leave, leadership teams say the same thing:

“We should have done this sooner.”

Why?

Because removing misaligned people creates room for:

• Better team morale

• Stronger accountability

• Improved collaboration

• New talent with fresh energy

• Greater long-term scalability

• 
  

Sometimes the biggest breakthrough in your business comes after making the leadership decision you’ve been avoiding.

Final Thoughts

If someone on your team is producing revenue but refusing to evolve, refusing accountability, or refusing alignment with your vision—ask yourself this:

Are they truly helping your business grow… or are they simply comfortable maintaining the status quo?

Because growth-minded organizations require growth-minded people.

At the end of the day, your business cannot scale if key team members are more committed to their comfort than your company’s future.

So if you’re dealing with a “rat” or an “enemy,” remember:

Coach them up if they’re willing. Coach them out if they’re not.

Your future team—and your future business—will thank you for it.