We are preparing for an exit and need to fill a critical Historic Data and Contract Audit seat to ensure all IP assignments and client agreements are legally airtight. Nobody on our leadership team wants to touch this boring, meticulous work. How do we assign accountability for this seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

An exit readiness process requires clean, documented records. If you have a critical seat that is vacant because the work is tedious, you cannot simply ignore it. Leaving the seat empty creates massive risk during due diligence and can severely damage your valuation.

In EOS®, every seat on the Accountability Chart must have one name in it, and that person must GWC™ the role. If nobody on your current leadership team wants the seat, you have a few practical options.

First, determine if the role can be outsourced. You can hire an external specialist, like a paralegal or an exit consultant, to do the heavy lifting. However, someone on your leadership team must still own the seat on the Accountability Chart to oversee the outsourcing partner and ensure the results are delivered.

Second, look at the roles of your existing team. If you must assign it internally, you must find the person who has the best capacity and intellectual fit, even if they do not love the work. Explain that this is a temporary, high-priority Rock needed to prepare the business for a successful transaction.

Assigning clear accountability ensures the work actually gets done. It shows buyers that you have a disciplined approach to risk management. Do not let the tedious nature of exit preparation cause you to neglect key administrative hygiene.