We are splitting our combined Marketing and Sales seat into two distinct seats because the workload is too heavy for one person. Our current VP of Marketing and Sales wants to keep both, claiming she can handle it, but her weekly scorecard metrics have been slipping for months. How do we address this?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Trying to run both marketing and sales as a single seat once you reach a certain scale is a recipe for mediocrity. They require entirely different skill sets and mindsets. Marketing is about lead generation and brand, while sales is about closing deals and driving revenue.

Your current VP is letting her ego or fear of demotion cloud her judgment. The slipping metrics on her weekly Scorecard are objective proof that she does not have the capacity to manage both seats. You must hold an honest conversation based on the GWC tool.

Explain that the growth of the company requires dedicated focus on both disciplines. Ask her which of the two seats she truly Gets, Wants, and has the Capacity to execute at a world-class level. She must choose one.

Once she selects her seat, update the Accountability Chart to show her name in that single box. Begin an active search to fill the other seat. Assure her that this split is not a demotion but a strategic move to allow her to focus and win in her zone of genius, ultimately driving the business forward.