My co-founder is currently our VP of Sales, but he is burnt out on managing people and wants to move into a newly created Strategic Partnerships seat. I am worried this is just a vanity seat that does not actually add value for an exit. How do we validate if this new seat belongs on our Accountability Chart?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To determine if this new seat is legitimate or merely a vanity project to accommodate your co-founder's burnout, you must separate the person from the seat entirely. Strip his name off the proposal and look at the seat objectively. Ask yourself if you would hire an expensive outside professional to fill this exact role if your co-founder were not here. If the answer is no, then the seat does not belong on your Accountability Chart. Every single seat on your chart must have a clear, measurable return on investment and direct accountability for a number on your Scorecard. For a Strategic Partnerships seat to be valid, it must own a critical revenue or lead-generation channel that is vital to your three-year picture. If it does, then define the five specific roles and the metrics that this seat will own, such as partner-driven revenue or new enterprise contracts. Once the seat is cleanly defined, run a rigorous GWC check on your co-founder. Does he genuinely get what the strategic partnerships seat requires? Does he want the pressure of hitting those new targets, or is he just looking for a safe haven to escape management duties? If he passes the GWC check and the seat is truly valuable, make the transition. But if the seat is just a shield to hide an unproductive partner, do not put it on your chart. It will confuse your team and lower your business valuation.