We have created a Data Security and Privacy Compliance seat on our Accountability Chart, which our exit advisors say is mandatory to pass buyer due diligence. However, absolutely nobody on our leadership team wants to own this seat because it is tedious and full of administrative liability. How do we fill this seat without forcing it on someone?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When you identify a critical seat on your Accountability Chart that nobody wants, you cannot simply divide its roles among your existing leadership team. That is a recipe for dropped balls, security breaches, and a failed due diligence process. If everyone is responsible for compliance, nobody is.

First, use the GWC™ tool. To sit in a seat, a person must Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity to do it. Forcing a leader to take on a highly technical compliance seat when they do not want it is a guarantee of failure. They will prioritize their core responsibilities, and data security will be neglected.

Since this seat is vacant and your current team lacks the desire or bandwidth, you have two real options. The first is to hire an external professional who specializes in data security and privacy compliance. Because this is a specialized function, you may not need a full-time executive. This is where a fractional resource is highly effective. You can place a fractional Chief Information Security Officer in this seat on your Accountability Chart. They will own the role, manage the compliance protocols, and prepare the necessary documentation for your exit.

The second option is to restructure the seat to automate the heavy lifting using software tools, then assign the residual oversight roles to an existing operations manager who has the operational capacity. However, they must still pass the GWC™ check for this modified seat. Whichever path you choose, remember that the Accountability Chart must reflect reality. Leave the seat marked as vacant until you have a name that truly GWC™s it.