We have two long-time customer service managers who have run our client success department as equal co-directors. As we prepare our Accountability Chart to scale for a sale, we know we cannot have two names in one seat, but choosing one over the other will destroy morale. How do we resolve this "one seat, two people" trap?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Having two names in one seat is a recipe for disaster. When two people are responsible, nobody is. It creates confusion for the team, delays decision-making, and signals to potential buyers that your leadership is fragile and political.

To resolve this, you must separate the structure of the business from the personalities. Look at the seat itself. If the business genuinely requires two distinct seats because you are managing separate geographic territories or completely different client segments, then create two separate seats with distinct accountabilities. For example, you might have a Client Success Manager for Enterprise Accounts and a Client Success Manager for Mid-Market Accounts. Each must have its own clear set of five roles.

If the department cannot be logically split, you must make a hard decision. Run both managers through the GWC™ tool. Do they both get it, want it, and have the capacity to do it? Usually, one will emerge as the stronger fit for the leadership seat.

The other manager must either move to a different seat where they can excel or, if no such seat exists, you must assist them in transitioning out of the company. Keeping them as co-leaders to avoid friction is a short-term fix that creates long-term structural weakness. Buyers want to see clear, unambiguous reporting lines, not polite compromises that mask accountability gaps.