We have hired an exit advisory firm and an investment banker to prepare us for sale. Where do these external advisors sit on our Accountability Chart, and how do we represent their authority to the rest of the leadership team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

External advisors, investment bankers, and legal specialists do not belong on your daily Accountability Chart. The Accountability Chart is designed to map out the internal operating structure of your business. It defines the seats, roles, and reporting lines of the people who run the company day to day.

Advisors do not have operational authority. They do not manage your employees, and they should not be making internal leadership decisions. If you place them on the chart, you create confusion about who your team actually reports to.

Instead, keep your Accountability Chart strictly internal. To manage these external relationships, you should assign an internal owner to the seat responsible for exit coordination. This is typically the Visionary, the Integrator, or the Head of Finance.

This internal owner is accountable for managing the advisors, delivering information, and keeping the process on track. They will bring specific requests or issues to the leadership team's Level 10 Meeting™ as needed.

When communicating with your staff, explain that these advisors are partners who work with the leadership team to secure the company's future. They are not part of the internal chain of command. Keeping this line clear protects your operational momentum and ensures your team remains focused on hitting their goals, which is what ultimately drives your valuation.