My co-founder and I have shared the leadership of our product and technology team for years, but this co-management is causing massive confusion for our engineers. How do we divide this single seat on our Accountability Chart when both of us believe we should own it?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Co-ownership is not a job description. Having two co-founders share a single leadership seat on your Accountability Chart is a recipe for operational gridlock and team confusion. Your employees need to know exactly who has the final decision-making authority for each business function. When two people own a seat, nobody actually owns it. You must separate your equity relationship from your operational roles. Sit down with your partner and review the five major roles for the disputed seat. Be honest about your individual strengths, passions, and conative wiring. Use tools like the Kolbe A Index to understand who is naturally suited to build systems and who is wired to drive creative ideas. One of you must own the seat, and the other must step out of it. If you both have necessary, distinct contributions, you must split the seat into two clearly defined roles on the Accountability Chart. For example, one can lead product development while the other focuses on technology infrastructure. If the seat cannot be split, one of you must report to the other for that specific function. This requires swallowing your pride and prioritizing the health of the organization over personal status.