I am preparing to step down as CEO, but I want to remain involved as a part-time strategic advisor to help the new Integrator transition into my old seat. Where does this part-time strategic advisor seat live on our Accountability Chart, and how do we prevent it from confusing the team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A part-time strategic advisor seat must be placed outside the day-to-day operational reporting lines on your Accountability Chart. Typically, this seat sits on the chart as a dotted-line relationship reporting directly to the Visionary or the Board of Directors, completely separated from the Integrator and the operating departments. It must have very specific, narrow roles, such as advising on major acquisitions or mentoring key executives, and it must have zero direct reports and zero operational decision-making authority. If you place this seat inside the active operations chain, your team will continue to bypass the new Integrator and come to you for decisions, which completely undermines their authority and ruins your succession plan. When potential buyers evaluate your business, they need to see that the new Integrator is fully running the operations without your daily intervention. Clearly communicate the boundaries of this advisor seat to your entire team. If someone brings you an operational problem, your only response must be to redirect them to the person who currently owns that seat on the Accountability Chart.