LESSON 3 OF 6 · ADVANCED
Build an operational capacity review
Walk through processing, underwriting, closing, technology, product access and escalation capacity for the expected workload. Ask about peak periods, coverage and failure recovery. A team can be a good commercial fit and still exceed support capacity at the proposed date. Treat readiness gaps as launch conditions, not details to fix after the team arrives.
Build a readiness checklist with owner, evidence, status and decision deadline.
About 2 minutes reading + 12 minutes practice. Take longer when needed.
Apply the method
Create a capacity table for expected application flow, files in process, complexity, staffing, coverage and escalation. Ask the receiving owners what workload they can support and how that estimate was established. Review technology access and training needs for each role. Consider peaks, leave coverage and failure recovery, not just an average month. Define readiness evidence and a decision date for every gap. If staffing or system capacity is not ready, choose among a phased start, added support, a changed date or declining the move. Capacity planning belongs before promises, not after the branch arrives.
A worked application
Fictional worked example: A team could bring ten LOs, but the receiving processing group can support only five initially. The planner identifies an additional processor and system setup as dependencies. The team proposes two onboarding waves, with the second contingent on tested access and the agreed staffing milestone. If the milestone is missed, the second wave pauses. This creates a specific operational decision rather than asking employees to absorb an undefined service shortfall. The candidate group receives a clear explanation of what is confirmed and what remains conditional.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not accept a generic assurance that operations will figure it out. A readiness claim needs an owner, evidence and a response if it is not ready.
Work through the case
FICTIONAL SCENARIO
A receiving organization can support five additional LOs today but would need a processor before supporting ten. Recruiting all ten without a staffing plan may undermine both teams.
Make it practical
Build a readiness checklist with owner, evidence, status and decision deadline.
Compare your reasoning with a worked response
A useful checklist includes workload assumptions and a response when capacity is not ready: phase onboarding, add support or change the date.
Takeaway
Use the method to explain your decision, identify what you still need to verify and choose an accountable next step.
Treat the response as a model for reasoning, not the only possible wording. Adapt it to the role, evidence and appropriate organizational guidance.