My Head of Operations is doing a great job, but we are struggling to define where her accountability ends and my new Integrator seat's accountability begins. They keep stepping on each other's toes regarding process improvement and team management. How do we draw a sharp line between these two seats?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The boundary between the Integrator seat and the Head of Operations seat is a common point of friction. To resolve this, you must understand that the Integrator is accountable for the entire organization's execution, which includes harmonizing Sales, Operations, and Finance. The Head of Operations is focused solely on delivering the company's products or services to the clients.

When these roles blur, it is usually because the Integrator is diving too deep into operational details, or the Head of Operations is trying to manage company-wide strategic initiatives. On your Accountability Chart, the Integrator's roles should focus on leading, managing, and holding the leadership team accountable, executing the business plan, and ensuring cross-departmental integration.

The Head of Operations' roles should focus on service delivery, quality control, customer satisfaction, and managing the operations team. The Integrator should not be managing operations processes directly. Instead, the Integrator should hold the Head of Operations accountable for hitting their operational scorecard metrics and completing their quarterly Rocks. If the Integrator needs a process improved, they must delegate that outcome to the Head of Operations rather than stepping in to fix it themselves. This maintains a clear line of authority and frees up both leaders to focus on their respective seats.