We rolled out the Accountability Chart six months ago, but we find that legacy employees are still bypassing the structure and coming directly to the founder for decisions. How do we break this habit and make the Accountability Chart stick?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When legacy employees bypass the Accountability Chart, the problem is almost always the founder, not the employees. If you continue to answer their questions and make their decisions, you are actively training them to ignore your leadership team and the structure you built.

To make the Accountability Chart stick, you must implement a strict policy of redirection. The next time an employee comes to you with an issue that belongs in someone else's seat, you must ask one simple question: Who owns that seat on the Accountability Chart?

Once they name the correct leader, walk them over to that person or instruct them to send the email to them directly. Do not offer your opinion or try to solve the problem first. You must completely step out of the transaction.

This transition requires discipline from both you and your leadership team. Your leaders must feel empowered to make those decisions without checking in with you first. If you continue to intervene, you undermine their authority and keep your business dependent on your daily involvement, which destroys your operational leverage and hurts your future exit valuation.