To preserve cash during a temporary market slowdown, we need to temporarily merge our Estimating seat and our Project Management seat under one person who has the GWC™ for both. How do we reflect this temporary consolidation on our Accountability Chart without permanently ruinous impacts on our long-term structure?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Do not permanently merge the seats on your chart. This is a common mistake that leads to structural chaos when the market recovers. If you combine Estimating and Project Management into a single seat, you will lose the clarity of those distinct functions, and it will be incredibly difficult to separate them later.

Instead, keep both seats completely separate on your Accountability Chart. Keep their distinct roles and responsibilities defined exactly as they should be for a healthy, growing business.

To handle the temporary financial constraint, simply place one person's name in both seats. They will operate as both the Estimator and the Project Manager. They must understand that they are wearing two distinct hats and are accountable for two different sets of metrics and roles.

This approach keeps your long-term organizational structure visible and intact. It sends a clear signal to the team that this is a temporary operational compromise, not a permanent structural change. When business picks back up and cash flow allows, you can easily remove their name from one of the seats and hire a dedicated person to fill it, without having to redesign your entire chart.