Article Reference Code: NAMAS.08.22.2025
What leadership should consider when a role, or a person, no longer fits
Written by: Shannon O. DeConda
In auditing and compliance, much of the job conversation is centered around the employee. How to stand out. How to negotiate. How to build a career.
But there’s another side we don’t talk about as often: the employer perspective. As someone who has worked in leadership, built teams, and helped shape hiring decisions, I’ve learned that there are very real signals that it’s time to make a change, not just for the person in the role, but for the organization itself. If you’re an employer, a manager, or a team leader, here are a few reflections to consider when you start to feel that quiet tension, the one that suggests something isn’t working the way it used to.
The strongest employees are consistent. But so are challenges. One of the first signs to watch for is a pattern that doesn’t improve, even after clear feedback or support. This could look like repeated missed deadlines, documentation errors that impact downstream work, or simply a lack of initiative in adapting to change. One moment doesn’t make a pattern. But three or four instances that follow the same theme often point to something deeper. And when that happens, it may be time to have a more honest conversation about long-term fit.
The mission doesn’t land anymore
If someone on your team no longer connects to the purpose, if they’re just showing up for the tasks but not the mission, it will eventually reflect in the quality of their work. This disconnect can sometimes be temporary, especially if personal challenges are at play. But when the gap stays wide, despite support and communication, the role may no longer be serving the employee, or the team.
We all expect to support and guide our teams. But when the majority of your time is spent correcting instead of strategizing, or repeating rather than building, it’s often a sign that the role needs to be revisited. There’s a difference between growing someone and carrying them. When the balance tilts too far toward the latter, both the team and the individual start to feel it.
It’s okay to outgrow a fit
One of the most challenging truths in leadership is this: sometimes a role outgrows a person, and sometimes a person outgrows a role. Neither one is wrong.
The best transitions I’ve been a part of were handled with clarity, respect, and a mutual understanding that both the organization and the individual needed room to grow in different directions. When we approach these conversations with professionalism and empathy, we create space for stronger futures, for everyone involved. Making a staffing change isn’t just about performance. It’s about alignment.
When someone’s skills, mindset, and goals are no longer aligned with the mission of the team, the kindest and most productive step may be to begin the process of change.
It’s not about letting someone go. It’s about letting something new begin.
Shannon O. DeConda, CPC, CPMA, CEMA, CEMC, CPA-EDU
As Founder and President of NAMAS, and VP of Regulatory Compliance at DoctorsManagement, I’ve spent over 20 years equipping auditors, coders, and compliance professionals to lead with confidence—through rigorous education, practical mentorship, and a commitment to raising the bar for compliance excellence.
