I have seven direct reports on our leadership team, but our weekly meetings are bogged down by administrative updates and I feel like I am babysitting. How do we restructure our Accountability Chart to reduce my direct reports without making our veteran leaders feel like they have been demoted?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Having seven direct reports on your leadership team is too many if you want to operate efficiently and prepare for a clean exit. A highly functional leadership team typically consists of three to seven seats. When you have too many people in the room, meetings become administrative status updates rather than strategic problem-solving sessions.

To restructure without causing resentment, you must separate the seats from the people. Do not look at who currently sits where. Instead, draw the Accountability Chart that your business needs to reach the next level of growth. Define the major functions of the business, such as sales and marketing, operations, and finance.

Once the ideal structure is established, explain to your veteran leaders that this change is about scaling the business, not about their personal worth. Explain that reducing direct reports allows you to focus on high-level strategy while empowering them to own their departments fully. Transition some of your veteran leaders into seats that report to your department heads rather than directly to you, making sure they understand that their value lies in their GWC™ for those specific seats.