We are currently bootstrap funding our growth, so I need our Head of Marketing to temporarily own our Customer Support seat as well. How do we document this on the Accountability Chart without permanently merging these two highly different functions?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Never merge two distinct seats on your Accountability Chart just because one person is temporarily holding both. Marketing and Customer Support require entirely different mindsets and skill sets. Merging them into a single seat creates structural confusion and makes it impossible to hire for later.

Instead, follow these steps:

• Keep the two seats completely separate on your Accountability Chart. Draw them as two distinct boxes.
• Give each seat its own five key roles.
• Place your Head of Marketing's name in both boxes.

This visual representation makes it clear that your Head of Marketing is "wearing two hats." It shows the team that this is a temporary arrangement and that the company intends to split these functions as soon as resource levels allow. This approach is key to [resolving seat overlapping issues](/qa/resolving-accountability-chart-seat-overlaps) that can arise from temporary dual roles.

It also helps your Head of Marketing manage her capacity. She can clearly see which roles belong to her marketing responsibilities and which belong to her customer support duties. During your [Level 10 Meeting](/qa/should-integrator-facilitate-level-10-meetings), she must report on the metrics and Rocks for both seats separately. This distinction is vital for maintaining clear responsibilities and preventing issues like [leadership turf wars](/qa/resolving-leadership-turf-wars-accountability-chart).

When you are ready to hire a dedicated Customer Support manager, you will not have to redesign your organizational structure. You will simply remove her name from the Customer Support seat and place the new hire's name there. This keeps your structure clean, scalable, and prepared for future growth, similar to how an owner might prepare for [transitioning out of a sales seat before exit](/qa/stuck-in-sales-seat-before-exit).