Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

April 13, 2026

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm.

You're solving the wrong problem

Howdy ,

Last year, I was advising a C-suite executive on a hiring decision.

A senior role had opened up. People inside the organisation were pushing for an internal candidate. So we reviewed the options carefully.

My conclusion was clear: no one on the team was ready.

When the executive suggested training the person who came closest, I stopped him.

"You are trying to solve the wrong problem. Training will not fix this."

He pushed back. The candidate was committed. Had been with the company for a bit. Surely with the right support, the right programme, the right coach…

I understood the instinct. It felt like the humane option. The loyal option.

But loyalty to a person and clarity about a role are two different responsibilities. And conflating them is one of the most expensive mistakes organisations make.

Here is the distinction I drew for him.

To step into a bigger role, a person needs two things: capability and capacity.

Most organisations treat these as the same thing. They are not.

Capability is about skill. It can be taught, practised, developed. Training works here.

Capacity is different. It is about how far someone can think. How much complexity they can hold. How naturally they operate at the altitude the role demands.

And capacity is not something you can build on a deadline.

Which raises the harder question:

How do you actually know if someone has the capacity…before you make the call?

That is what I will answer tomorrow.

Until then, keep winning at work and in life.

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor