Our company has grown rapidly, and our Integrator is still sitting in the Operations seat as well. As we look toward a future exit, how do we know when it is structurally necessary to separate the Integrator seat from the Operations seat on our Accountability Chart?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a business is small, it is common for the Integrator to also manage daily operations. However, as you scale and prepare for an exit, keeping these two seats combined on your Accountability Chart will create a severe bottleneck. You must separate them to ensure healthy organizational growth.

The separation becomes necessary when your Integrator spends more time solving daily fires, managing client issues, and overseeing logistics than they do leading, managing, and holding the leadership team accountable. The Integrator seat requires high-level strategic alignment, execution of the V/TO, and ensuring the leadership team is healthy and functional. The Operations seat is focused on delivering your product or service consistently and profitably.

When these seats remain combined, one of two things happens: either long-term strategic execution stalls because of daily fires, or daily delivery quality slips because the Integrator is focused on high-level growth.

To resolve this, split the seats on your Accountability Chart. Define five distinct roles for the Operations seat, such as product delivery, quality assurance, and customer service management. Keep the Integrator seat focused on driving the leadership team, executing the strategic plan, and managing the business pulse. Fill the Operations seat with a dedicated leader who GWC's the role, freeing your Integrator to drive exit readiness.