We operate in a highly regulated industry and must create a dedicated Compliance and Quality Auditing seat to survive due diligence. None of our current leadership team members want this seat because of the intense regulatory liability and the tedious paperwork involved. How do we fill a highly technical, high-stress seat that everyone on our existing team refuses to own?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

You cannot force an existing team member to take a seat they do not want. Doing so violates the Want It component of GWC™ and guarantees the roles will be neglected, which is a massive risk during due diligence. If your current leaders refuse to own the Compliance and Quality Auditing seat, you must accept that you have a talent gap.

Confirm first that the seat is absolutely necessary for your future-state Accountability Chart. If it is, look outside your organization to hire a specialist. Regulatory compliance experts actually thrive on the precise, detailed work that your current team finds tedious. They get, want, and have the capacity for this exact role.

While you are recruiting, you cannot leave the seat empty or split its accountability among multiple people. Splitting accountability means nobody is accountable. Instead, the Integrator must temporarily put their own name in that seat and own the outcomes until a permanent hire is made. Use the clear roles defined on your Accountability Chart as a job description to find the right candidate. Recruiting a dedicated compliance professional will protect your valuation and show potential buyers that you take operational risk seriously.