We have hired a fractional Chief Marketing Officer who only works ten hours a week to run our marketing seat. Our internal marketing coordinators are refusing to take direction from him because they know he is part-time, which is stalling our lead generation. How do we structure this fractional seat on our Accountability Chart so he has real, undisputed authority?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Fractional leaders fail when the organization treats them as external consultants rather than true seat holders. If your team thinks of your fractional CMO as a part-time advisor, they will bypass him and wait for your direct input. You must establish his authority clearly on your Accountability Chart.

First, place his name in the Head of Marketing seat just as you would with a full-time executive. The box on the chart must look identical to any other leadership seat, with the five major roles explicitly defined. Below his seat, draw the boxes for your marketing coordinators, showing direct reporting lines to his seat.

Second, introduce him to the team with absolute clarity. Explain that he has total accountability for the department, including hiring, firing, budget management, and performance reviews. If a coordinator bypasses him and comes to you, you must redirect them back to the fractional CMO.

Third, ensure his limited hours are spent on high-leverage leadership. He must run the weekly Level 10 Meeting for his department, set their quarterly Rocks, and manage their metrics. His team must know that during his ten hours a week, his authority is absolute. If your team cannot accept this structure, it is a core values or GWC issue on their part that you must address immediately.