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

You must never merge two distinct seats on your Accountability Chart just because one person is temporarily running 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.

Keep the two seats completely separate on your Accountability Chart. Draw them as two distinct boxes, each with its own five key roles. Then, simply place your Head of Marketing's name in both boxes.

This visual representation makes it clear that she 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.

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, she must report on the metrics and Rocks for both seats separately.

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.