To pass insurance compliance audits across our three warehouses, we need a dedicated Facility and Asset Security seat, but none of our existing operations leaders want to own it. How do we handle a vital operational seat that nobody wants?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a seat must exist for business viability or risk management, but nobody wants it, you cannot simply split the tasks across three people or let it sit vacant. In EOS, shared accountability means nobody is accountable.

First, step back and validate that this is a genuine seat on your Accountability Chart rather than a single role inside an existing seat. If facility security requires dedicated oversight, ongoing audit management, and physical inspection rhythms, define the five key roles for the seat clearly.

Next, look at Want It inside the GWC framework. You cannot force a leader into a seat they do not want. If someone accepts a seat out of guilt or executive pressure, they will inevitably cut corners, neglect maintenance logs, and fail the audit.

If no internal leader genuinely gets, wants, and has the capacity for the seat, you have three viable paths:
- Outsource the entire function to a specialized facility management or security compliance firm, placing the external vendor relationship under your Operations Director.
- Hire a dedicated, mid-level manager specifically recruited to own the seat full-time.
- Consolidate lower-level tasks into an existing facility technician seat, but keep the strategic accountability under the Integrator until an external hire is made.

Never let an unpopular seat linger without a single name attached. In the interim, the seat defaults to the leader directly above it, which is typically your Integrator or Director of Operations. That leader owns the outcomes until they hire or outsource the seat properly.