We currently have a fractional Head of HR who has set up our basic policies, but as we scale toward a strategic exit, we need full-time, strategic talent development. How do we structure the transition on our Accountability Chart without disrupting our current culture?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Transitioning from fractional to full-time leadership requires clear structural staging on your Accountability Chart. You must avoid having two people sharing the same seat or creating overlapping responsibilities, which breeds political friction and confusion.

Start by defining the future-state Head of HR seat with five distinct, strategic roles. These roles should focus on talent acquisition, culture preservation, and performance management systems that buyers look for during due diligence.

Next, look at your fractional leader. If they do not GWC™ the full-time, strategic seat, or if they do not want to work full-time, they cannot remain in that box. However, they can assist with the transition. On your current Accountability Chart, keep the fractional leader in the seat, but add a transition Rock to hire their full-time replacement.

To protect your culture, involve the fractional leader in the onboarding process. Once the full-time hire is made, the fractional leader vacates the seat. You can temporarily move them to a special advisory seat on the chart with a clear expiration date, or transition them off the chart entirely.

According to the Trust Creation Process from Charles H. Green, building trust requires vulnerability and clear communication. Be completely transparent with your fractional leader about the growth of the seat and your exit timeline. When they understand the strategic necessity of a full-time resource, they are more likely to support the transition and help onboard their successor smoothly.