Our most talented executive is currently sitting in three completely different seats: HR, Compliance, and Facility Operations. She is burning out, but we cannot afford to hire three people. How do we prioritize which seat to peel off first without dropping the ball on the other two?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Having one person wear too many hats is a common stage of business growth, but it is a major bottleneck. To prevent burnout and protect your operations, you must use a systematic delegation process.

Start by looking at your business plan and your V/TO®. Which of these three functions is most critical to your strategic growth over the next twelve months?

If you are scaling rapidly and need to hire fifty people, HR is your bottleneck and must remain her primary focus. If you are preparing for a highly regulated exit, Compliance is the priority.

Once you identify the most critical seat, that is the one she keeps. For the other two seats, you must delegate them using a phased approach.

Since you cannot afford two full-time hires, look for creative structural solutions. Can you automate parts of the compliance workload using modern software? Can you outsource facility operations to a property management firm?

If outsourcing is not an option, look at your existing team. Is there a high-potential middle manager who could take on the compliance seat as a stretch role, provided they GWC™ it?

Map out this transition on your future Accountability Chart. Even if she must hold the seats for another ninety days, having a clear plan with a specific date for when she will hand them over will relieve her burnout and keep her focused on delivering high-value results.