When a senior-team person’s competence is being questioned we leaders have only 3 choices, we can:

1.Be confident the person can do the job. If we select this option then we, as leaders, must help the person succeed. We cannot second guess the person’s capability and/or send signals we think the person is going to fail. We must adjust our mindsets to contain only positive thinking and roll up our sleeves and help.

2.Be confident the person cannot do the job. If we select this option then we must expedite the person’s departure. That’s in everyone’s best interest. Lengthy, unsuccessful discussions about flawed performances sour relationships, kill positive momentum, and sour the business culture. 

3.Be confused about whether the person will succeed and have a plan that will remove that confusion within a set time limit. It is OK for leaders to be confused about a senior person’s abilities as long as (1) they know they are confused, (2) they set time boundaries for removal of that confusion and (3) they set clear action plans to remove that confusion within those time boundaries.