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.

First, list the five major roles for both the Sales seat and the Marketing seat. Clearly define what success looks like for each seat. Once the roles are defined, look at your partners objectively through the lens of GWC™:

- Do they truly Get it? Do they understand the natural flow of the role?
- Do they Want it? Do they get up in the morning genuinely excited to do this specific work?
- Do they have the Capacity to do it? Do they have the mental, emotional, physical, and temporal capacity to excel in the role?

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.

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, but they cannot run the department.