Two of my directors are constantly fighting over who owns our new operational systems. How do we resolve this turf war without causing a permanent rift?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Turf wars on a leadership team are always a symptom of a poorly defined Accountability Chart. When two people claim ownership of the same function, nobody is actually accountable, which leads to chaos.

To resolve this, you must take the personalities out of the equation. Gather the team and look at the Accountability Chart. Revisit the core rule of the EOS® framework: only one name can sit in a seat, and every major function must have a single point of accountability.

Use the IDS® process to define the roles. Ask yourself which seat naturally GWC™s the ownership of these operational systems. Is it the person who designs the technical tools, or the person who manages the daily workflow and team execution?

Once you define where the responsibility belongs, update the Accountability Chart and make the roles crystal clear. The person who does not own the seat must transition to a supporting role for that function.

Enforce these boundaries strictly. If the friction continues, it is no longer a structural issue; it is a cultural or behavioral issue that you must address directly.