Our Head of Operations is currently responsible for both procurement and warehouse fulfillment. We need to split this into two distinct seats to prepare for scaling, but he is taking it personally and feels he is being demoted. How do we execute this split on our Accountability Chart without destroying his morale?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

It is natural for a leader to feel defensive when their seat is split, as they often perceive it as a demotion or a loss of authority. However, you must explain that splitting a seat is actually a sign of company success. As the business scales, the workload of a combined seat eventually exceeds the capacity of any single human being.

Sit down with your Head of Operations and explain the concept of delegation. Use the Accountability Chart to show him that his current seat has become too large for one person to run effectively. Frame the split as an opportunity to free him up so he can focus on what he does best.

Walk him through the roles of the two new seats: procurement and warehouse fulfillment. Run a GWC check on both. Ask him which of these two areas he is most passionate about and where his unique ability lies. Put his name in that seat.

Explain that by narrowing his focus, he will be able to drive much better results, which is exactly what a potential buyer wants to see. Then, begin the search to fill the other seat. By involving him in the process and matching him to his ideal focus area, you turn a perceived demotion into a career optimization.