Help Center

Roles

Roles define work, not people. A role is a set of responsibilities that exists independently of who holds it. One person can hold multiple roles across different circles, and one role can have multiple holders.

Create a role

From the toolbar:

  1. Click + Add in the top navigation
  2. Select New Role
  3. Enter a name, purpose, and responsibilities
  4. Save

From the map:

  1. Right-click inside a circle
  2. Select New Role
  3. The role appears in that circle

Role properties

Every role has a set of properties you can fill in:

A role selected on the map with the Inspector panel showing its name, purpose, accountabilities, and assigned holders.

  • Name (required): a clear, descriptive title
  • Purpose: a one-sentence explanation of what this role accomplishes
  • Accountabilities: the specific responsibilities this role carries
  • Notes: additional context, links, or documentation

You can also add custom fields to capture additional data specific to your organization’s needs. Property labels and visibility are customizable in your organization’s settings.

Write a clear purpose statement for every role. A good purpose answers "why does this role exist?" in one sentence, making it easier for people to understand what the role is about before looking at specific accountabilities.

Assign people

  1. Select a role on the map
  2. Click Assign in the Inspector panel
  3. Search for and select a person
  4. Save

When a role has multiple holders, add a Focus for each person to clarify their specific area of responsibility (for example, “EMEA region” or “Enterprise accounts”).

You can track how much time each person dedicates to their roles using the Contribution app. This helps balance workloads across your organization.

Role types

Roles have visual indicators on the map that communicate their function at a glance. Types can be combined; for example, a role can be both electable and colorful.

  • Default (white circle): a standard role
  • External (light grey circle): a role outside the core organization
  • Leader / Representative (spherical shading): leads or represents a circle
  • Electable (arrow at top): filled through an election process, managed with the Elections app
  • Colorful (custom color): highlighted with an organization-defined color
  • Mirrored (two-tone): a synced copy that appears in multiple circles
  • Vacant / Understaffed (striped): no one is assigned, or more holders are needed
  • Hexagonal (hexagonal shape): an alternative shape for visual distinction
Use the Feedback app to gather structured feedback on how people are performing in their roles. This pairs well with role-based accountability.