We are preparing for an exit and have hired a fractional Chief Marketing Officer to elevate our brand. Since they are only working with us ten hours a week, how do we represent them on our Accountability Chart? Do we put their name in the Head of Marketing seat, or do we keep the seat vacant and show them as an external consultant?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If you hire a fractional executive, they must own the seat on your Accountability Chart just like a full-time employee would. Do not leave the seat vacant or represent them as an external consultant.

To run on EOS®, every seat on your leadership team must have one name in it, and that person must be fully accountable for the roles and metrics of that seat. Even though your fractional CMO is only working ten hours a week, they must GWC™ the Head of Marketing seat. They must attend your weekly Level 10 Meeting™, own marketing Rocks, and be accountable for your marketing Scorecard numbers.

If they cannot commit to this level of accountability, they are acting as a consultant, not a leader, and you should not have them on your leadership team. In that case, you must keep your name in the Head of Marketing seat and show the consultant reporting to you.

If they do accept the seat, make sure your team understands that the fractional CMO has full authority over the marketing department during their hours. Your internal marketing staff must report directly to them on the Accountability Chart.

Having a fractional executive in a leadership seat is a highly effective way to gain high-level strategic expertise as you prepare for an exit, but it only works if you enforce the same standards of structural clarity and accountability that you would for any other employee.