As the Visionary, I want to expand our leadership team to include more of our original employees to show them they are valued, but my Integrator insists on keeping the team lean and focused. How do we resolve this strategic disagreement regarding our Accountability Chart structure?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic tension between the Visionary and the Integrator. As the Visionary, you are naturally loyal to the people who helped you build the business, and you want to reward them with leadership titles. However, your Integrator is correct; bloating your leadership team to reward loyalty is a recipe for operational gridlock.

The leadership team must exist to run the business, not to make people feel important. A healthy leadership team typically consists of three to seven seats. Anything larger turns your weekly Level 10 Meeting™ into a status report session rather than an active problem-solving meeting.

To resolve this tension, look at your Accountability Chart objectively. Focus on the seats, not the people. Define the essential functions of the business, such as sales, operations, and finance. If a seat does not have a direct, strategic impact on the running of the company, it does not belong on the leadership team.

Explain to your loyal employees that a seat off the leadership team is not a demotion or a lack of appreciation. It simply means their focus is on execution rather than organizational strategy. You can reward loyalty and great performance through compensation, profit sharing, and career advancement within their respective departments, without compromising the focus of the leadership team.