An Accountability Chart is a structured diagram of the organization that focuses on roles, responsibilities, and clear reporting lines, rather than job titles alone. It is similar to an org chart but emphasizes who “owns” the major functions and processes in the business. Each box on an accountability chart outlines a role (or seat) and the core accountabilities of that role.  For example, “Head of Sales – accountable for new revenue target, managing sales team, and pipeline growth”. Simply put this let’s us know who does what.

The accountability chart is used to eliminate confusion about ownership of tasks and outcomes. By laying out the right structure for the organization, it helps identify if there are any gaps or overlaps in responsibilities. Employees use it to understand their position in the company and what they are directly responsible for, as well as who to turn to for different issues. Leadership uses it to make sure the company has the right people in the right seats – it’s a tool for restructuring if needed (if one person is wearing too many hats, for example). It will also prepare you for scaling: as the company grows to new stages, the accountability chart is revisited to evolve the org structure deliberately rather than ad-hoc.

Accountability Chart Development Process

1. Define Key Functions: List out the primary functions of the business (typically, divisions or departments). For a B2B SaaS, this might include functions like Product Development, Sales, Marketing, Customer Success/Support, Operations, and Finance. Also identify the integrator/CEO role at the top and any major cross-functional roles.
2. Clarify Roles: For each function write 3-5 bullet points under each function describing the main responsibilities (what that role is accountable for).  You can do this on your own or use our structure as a basis.  This isn’t about titles or the team you currently have – this is about the way you should, ideally be setup.
3. Assign People: Now that you’ve defined what you should have plug in current team members into these seats according to their abilities (one person can occupy multiple seats if necessary, especially in a small company, but the accountabilities should be clear per seat). Ensure that each person ulCEOately reports to only one manager in this chart to eliminate confusion.
4. Communicate and Iterate: Review the draft with the leadership team and adjust until there is agreement that “yes, this is the right structure to execute our strategy”. Communicate the finalized accountability chart to the whole company, so everyone sees the updated roles and reporting lines. Moving forward, use this chart during performance reviews or when assigning new tasks – refer back to “who owns this area” per the chart. Update the chart as roles evolve or new positions are added, and especially revisit it yearly or when scaling (e.g., when reaching new revenue milestones, you may split or create functions).