We are using fractional leaders for our CFO and CMO seats on our Accountability Chart to keep overhead low. However, our full-time leadership team feels these fractional executives are not truly accountable because they are only here a few hours a week. How do we make fractional seats work in an EOS structure?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A common mistake when hiring fractional CFOs or CMOs is treating them as outside consultants rather than true members of your leadership team. If a fractional leader is sitting in a seat on your Accountability Chart, they must be fully accountable for that seat, regardless of how many hours they work.

To make fractional seats work, you must define the seat with five specific, high-impact roles. Do not expect a fractional leader to do heavy administrative work. Their roles should focus on strategy, oversight, and guiding full-time coordinators who handle the daily execution.

The fractional leader must still GWC™ the seat. They must get it, want it, and have the capacity to deliver on their roles within their allotted hours. They must also own their specific Rocks and be accountable for their weekly Scorecard numbers.

During your weekly Level 10 Meeting™, the fractional leader must participate fully, even if they have to call in remotely. If they cannot commit to this rhythm, they should not be on your leadership team. When you hold fractional leaders to the exact same standards of accountability as your full-time staff, you protect your culture and ensure you get a strong return on your investment.