We designed our Accountability Chart but two of my key partners are arguing over who owns marketing and sales, and it is stalling our progress. How do we resolve seat overlapping issues?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Seat overlaps are a major source of organizational friction. In EOS, we have a strict rule: only one name can occupy a seat on the Accountability Chart, and there are no co-heads. If two partners are fighting over marketing and sales, you must decouple the personalities from the functional needs of the business. [Can we put them both in the Head of Sales seat as co-leaders on our Accountability Chart?](/qa/co-heads-sales-seat-accountability-chart)

Defining the Seats

First, list the five major roles for both the Sales seat and the Marketing seat. Clearly define what success looks like for each seat.

For instance, the Marketing seat might include roles such as:
• Developing and executing marketing strategies
• Managing branding and public relations
• Conducting market research and analysis
• Generating qualified leads for the sales team
• Overseeing content creation and digital campaigns

The Sales seat's roles could involve:
• Developing and executing sales strategies
• Managing the sales pipeline and CRM
• Building and maintaining client relationships
• Closing deals and achieving revenue targets
• Forecasting sales and analyzing performance metrics

Once the roles are defined, look at your partners objectively through the lens of GWC™:

• Get it: Do they truly understand the natural flow of the role?
• Want it: Do they get up in the morning genuinely excited to do this specific work?
• Capacity to do it: Do they have the mental, emotional, physical, and temporal capacity to excel in the role? [How do I objectively assess my own GWC for this seat?](/qa/founder-bottleneck-gwc-assessment)

Using Conative and Cognitive Assessments

Use conative assessments like the Kolbe A Index or cognitive tools like the Predictive Index to see who is naturally wired for each seat. For example, a partner with high Quick Start instincts might be built for initiating sales, while someone with high Follow Thru is better suited for marketing systems and analysis. [How do we use the Kolbe A Index to diagnose why our Sales and Operations heads are constantly in conflict over project handoffs?](/qa/kolbe-sales-operations-conflict-handoffs)

These tools can provide objective data to inform your decision, moving beyond personal preferences or historical involvement. They help clarify who has the innate ability and drive for specific functions. [Do we ignore the data or find someone else?](/qa/predictive-index-cognitive-mismatch-seats)

Making the Decision

Once you match the right person to the right seat, the other partner must let go of that seat. They can still be an owner of the company, but they cannot run that specific department. This clear delineation of responsibility is crucial for eliminating friction and allowing the business to move forward effectively.