I am the owner and currently sitting in four major seats on our Accountability Chart: Visionary, Integrator, Sales, and Operations. I am completely redlined, but our cash flow does not allow for multiple executive hires right now. How do I objectively determine which of these seats I must delegate first to unlock our growth?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Holding multiple seats is normal in the early stages of scaling, but it becomes a chokehold on your growth as you approach an exit. To break this logjam, you must use a systematic delegation plan based on your unique strengths and the cash-flow needs of the business. Do not try to hire for all these seats at once.

First, complete a thorough assessment of your conative strengths using the Kolbe A Index. Identify which seat aligns with your natural problem-solving instincts. If you are a high Quick Start, you belong in the Visionary or Sales seat. If you have high Follow Thru, you might temporarily handle the Integrator or Operations seat.

Next, look at the financial impact of each seat. The Sales seat is usually the easiest to transition first because a high-performing salesperson should quickly pay for themselves through increased revenue. The Operations seat is typically the second to go, freeing you from daily fire-fighting.

Save the Integrator seat for last. Running the daily operations as the Integrator requires a highly disciplined operational leader. By keeping yourself in the Visionary and Integrator seats temporarily, you maintain control of the strategic direction while building the cash reserves necessary to hire a permanent, high-caliber Integrator.

Write down the exact measurable outcomes for the seats you want to vacate. This ensures that when you do hire, you have a clear performance baseline.