We are trying to build our three-year Accountability Chart to scale the business, but we know our current leadership team does not have the skills or capacity to fill those future seats. How do we design this structure without alienating our current leaders?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The fundamental rule of EOS is structure before people. When you are designing your three-year Accountability Chart, you must lock your current team members out of the room metaphorically. Do not think about who you have today. Focus entirely on what seats are required to run a business that is three times your current size.

Start by identifying the major functions of your future business. You will likely need more specialized seats than you have today, such as separate heads of marketing, sales, and technology. Define the five key roles for each of these future seats.

Once the future Accountability Chart is finalized, present it to your leadership team. Be completely transparent with them. Explain that this is the blueprint for where the company is going and that you do not expect everyone to fit into these future seats today. This reduces anxiety because it frames the change as a future growth plan, not an immediate threat to their jobs.

Next, run a GWC analysis for each leader against the future seats. Some may have the capacity to grow into these larger roles over the next three years. For those who do not, you must plan to hire external talent to sit in those seats when the time comes. This does not mean firing your current leaders. They can transition into more specialized, focused seats under the new leadership structure. By separating the structural design from the people decisions, you build a healthy company that is highly attractive to future buyers.