Putting the right people in the right roles is often more complex than it seems. Managing talent can be like a game of chess—strategies are implemented, reality takes a turn, and your best-laid plans can fall apart with one wrong move. How you approach placing people in their roles is often the most complicated aspect of your job: who to hire and who to pass on, who to promote and where to place them, when to move them again and when not to, and whether you need to encourage them (or directly tell them it’s time) to leave.

Building a winning team can be one of your greatest legacies as a leader, but it's rarely recognized or rewarded in real time. In fact, you'll likely only get credit for it after the team disbands or you've moved on.

Chances are you’ve seen what happens when someone with the talents of a chess queen gets stuck playing as a rook (or worse yet, a pawn!). I know a person who, in my estimation, is as close to a genius as I’ll ever meet. I’m not referring to having a brain for quantum physics, but having an unbounded level of creativity and idea generation. This very seasoned and exceedingly charismatic colleague (“Brandon”) had at least four separate roles leading four separate teams in the same organization. Graciously put, he also had a legacy of consistently falling short of success. And this is despite him being well-intended, possessing enthusiasm beyond measure, having a clear vision, and demonstrating a work ethic that inspired even me. (And I’m known as the Energizer Bunny—even after 5:00 p.m.!) Brandon was never in the right role.

You likely know someone in the same position—misaligned, or not reporting to a leader who could marshal their energies toward the highest-leveraged projects. When a person is consistently in the wrong role, they tend to bounce around a lot (and not because they accomplished the mission). I can recall many examples from my experience—some successes, other failures, but all well-intended hires and promotions:

•The twenty-year associate who performed well, but mostly flew under the radar. That is, until a leader moved them into a vital company initiative that leveraged their deep expertise and knowledge. Their high performance is now generating an unprecedented level of positive career exposure.

•The highly competent individual contributor who launched many successful initiatives. Now, moved to a broad leadership role, they’re struggling to gain influence with their direct reports.