Profits & Pints Recap — January 2026
- Strategic Business Coaching
- Feb 11
- 4 min read
Right People. Right Seats. Right Results.
Why People Problems Are Usually Clarity Problems
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We kicked off the first Profits & Pints of 2026 with a bold question:
Do you really have a people problem… or do you have a clarity problem?
Most business owners say, “It’s time to hire, we’re at capacity.”
But most companies haven’t done the work to define what the hire actually needs to be.
And that’s where friction begins.
Most “People Problems” Are Systems Problems
When someone underperforms, leaders often assume it’s a motivation issue, a culture issue, or a skill issue.
But often the real issue is this:
Unclear ownership
Unclear expectations
Unclear accountability
If employees don’t know exactly what success looks like, how can we expect consistent performance?
Clarity reduces stress for leadership and increases confidence for employees.
The Foundation: Three Core Functions
Every business, regardless of size, runs on three core functions:
Sales & Marketing
Finance & HR
Operations
If one of these functions is weak, the business breaks:
Weak operations → customers leave
Weak finance → you lose money
Weak sales → no customers
All three must exist, even in a business of one.
Accountability Chart vs. Org Chart
This is where the shift begins.
An org chart shows who reports to whom.
An accountability chart shows what functions exist and who owns outcomes.
Each box represents a function, not just a person.
When you map your business this way, something powerful happens:
You see bottlenecks clearly.
You see boxes no one owns.
You see when one person owns too many boxes.
In Jeff’s HVAC example, the bottleneck was obvious:
Jeff owned Operations and Field Operations.
That wasn’t a people problem.
That was a design problem.
Instead of asking, “Who should we hire?”
We asked:
“What is the next right role?”
Step Two: The Job Scorecard
Once the right role is identified, clarity continues through a job scorecard.
A strong scorecard defines three things:
1. Role Purpose
Why the role exists.
2. Measurable Outcomes
3–5 results that define success.
3. Competencies
How the work gets done.
This removes guessing, for both leaders and employees.
Competencies: What Can (and Cannot) Be Trained
One of the most important teaching moments of the session:
Not all competencies are trainable.
🟢 Highly Trainable
Clear communication
Organization and planning
🟡 Somewhat Trainable
Leadership and influence
Calm under pressure
🔴 Not Trainable
Accountability mindset
Problem solving
If a red competency is missing, do not hire.
You can coach someone to be more organized.
You cannot coach someone into caring about accountability.
Recruiting the Right Way
Most companies jump straight to posting a job.
Samantha’s process is different:
Clarify the role
Define competencies and non-negotiables
Post intentionally (where your ideal candidate actually is)
Screen resumes for minimum requirements only
Phone screen for alignment
Structured interview
Set expectations before day one.
Important nuance:
Resumes are for disqualifying, not deciding.
You’re screening for:
Required experience
Core skills
Red flags
You are not making final hiring decisions from a resume alone.
Phone Screening for Alignment:
Hungry, Humble, Smart
Before in-person interviews, Samantha screens for alignment using Patrick Lencioni’s framework.
Every hire must be:
Hungry – motivated and driven
Humble – open to feedback
Smart – people-aware
Sample questions include:
Hungry
Why did you apply for this role?
What are you looking for in your next position?
Humble
Tell me about a mistake you made as a leader.
How do you receive feedback?
Smart
Tell me about a difficult technician or customer situation.
How do you adapt your communication style?
Pro tip from the session:
Ask about past behavior, not hypotheticals.
Then ask follow-up questions, that’s where red flags surface.
Structured Interviews: Testing Competencies
In structured interviews, questions map directly to the job scorecard.
For example:
“Tell me about a time your team wasn’t meeting expectations. What did you do?”
“Describe a high-stress situation. How did you manage it?”
You’re looking for evidence of competencies, not charm.
Clarity Before Day One
After hiring, expectations are reviewed before the employee starts.
They see:
Role purpose
Measurable outcomes
Competencies
Many clients even use scorecards during quarterly reviews, allowing employees to rate themselves before discussions, creating transparency and better coaching conversations.
This turns performance reviews into alignment conversations — not reprimands.
Why This Works
When implemented fully, (not just documented and forgotten) this system delivers:
Fewer mis-hires
Better performance conversations
Less stress for leadership
More ownership from employees
Most businesses lack clarity in roles and expectations.
When you build clarity intentionally, you differentiate yourself immediately.
The Big Picture
Right People. Right Seats. Right Results.
This is not a document.
It’s a living, breathing system inside your organization.
And when it works, it changes everything.
Upcoming Events
Next Profits & Pints -
📅 February 24th
Until next time, cheers to smart moves and great conversation.
— Samantha & the SBC Team 🍻
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