We have a highly complex, technical enterprise sales cycle, and we currently have two senior account directors sharing the Head of Enterprise Sales seat because they both claim they cannot manage the workload alone. How do we break this single seat into two distinct, clear seats on our Accountability Chart without creating a double-headed monster or losing our momentum?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Sharing a single seat between two individuals is a structural disaster. When two people are responsible, accountability becomes diluted, and it often forces your Integrator to resolve constant disputes. You must split this shared seat immediately on your Accountability Chart.

Analyze Workload and Strengths

Start by thoroughly analyzing the actual workload of the Head of Enterprise Sales role. Also, evaluate the conative profiles of the two directors currently sharing the seat.

• Conative Assessment: Use a screening tool like the Kolbe Index to understand how they naturally take action. This isn't about personality or skills, but about their innate problem-solving instincts. You can even [analyze Kolbe Indexes with AI for project teams](/qa/analyze-kolbe-indexes-with-ai-project-teams) or other organizational structures.
• Example Strengths:
• If one director has a high Fact Finder score, they are naturally wired for deep research, detailed proposals, and strategic planning.
• If the other has a high Quick Start score, they excel at initiating new relationships, pitching, and driving deals to close.
• For instance, a director with low Follow Thru but high Quick Start might excel at launching initiatives but struggle to complete them, as discussed in [head customer success low follow thru Kolbe](/qa/head-customer-success-low-follow-thru-kolbe).

Create Distinct Seats

Based on their natural strengths, split the single Head of Enterprise Sales seat into two distinct, non-overlapping seats. This approach is crucial to avoid [resolving leadership turf wars](/qa/resolving-leadership-turf-wars-accountability-chart).

• Example Seat Split:
• Head of Enterprise Business Development: This seat focuses purely on hunting new accounts, lead generation, and initial outreach.
• Head of Key Account Management: This seat focuses on farming, retaining existing clients, and growing relationships within the current customer base.

Define Roles and Metrics

Each new seat must have its own:

• Unique Set of Five Roles: These roles should be clearly defined and non-overlapping.
• Measurable Metrics: Each seat needs its own distinct metrics on your Scorecard. This brings clarity and individual accountability. For guidance on setting these, consider [how to choose five fifteen scorecard metrics](/qa/how-to-choose-five-fifteen-scorecard-metrics).
• Reporting Structure: Both seats will report directly to the Integrator, or to a single, newly created Head of Sales seat if you choose to hire one later.

This structure provides absolute clarity, eliminates turf wars, and allows both leaders to operate within their natural strengths, fostering higher productivity and job satisfaction.

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