How Fractional Leaders Can Stop Scope Creep Before It Stops Them

Alex Ruiz is a fractional COO and senior operator helping tech and AI-driven companies scale. Previously he led operations at Google, Admob, LiveOps, founded a venture-backed startup and has worked with 25+ clients on fractional and advisory engagements.

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I’ve been doing fractional COO work for 5+ years, partnering with startups and mid-stage companies across AI, SaaS, and tech. I’ve worked with founders, boards, and leadership teams to drive change and scale. Along the way, one thing comes up almost every time: scope creep.

When it comes up, many consultants don’t have a defined process for strategically tackling it. But the truth is scope creep is usually a sign of trust. Clients ask for more because you’re delivering. Alternatively, sometimes you see gaps and want to help. Either way, it’s easy to start piling on responsibilities that quietly shift your role away from the original mission.

That’s how good engagements go sideways.

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The Slippery Slope of “Just One More Thing”

I once joined a company to sharpen their strategy and operations. Within weeks, the CEO asked me to refine their value proposition. Then it became rewriting marketing messages. Soon, I was on sales calls and traveling to meet clients.

Every step seemed logical. Some came from me, others from the CEO. But together, they created a second job we had never scoped or resourced. It distracted me from the original mandate and diluted my impact.

What saved the engagement? Stepping back, reframing the work, and realigning. We clarified what was truly core, what I could advise on, and where we needed to adjust. In this case, they expanded my role and adjusted my compensation to match the value I was delivering. What could have been a tension point became a win for both sides. 

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Why RACI Breaks Down in Startups

When I led strategy teams at Google, we often used the RACI matrix for aligning on responsibilities: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. It’s excellent when roles are fixed and org charts are deep.

But in startups, hats blur fast. “Responsible” and “Consulted” collapse under the pressure of speed. You start by advising, then discover a gap and suddenly you’re running point.

Fractional leaders need a simpler tool.

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The RAP Framework

To help me deal with my engagements I created my own framework, RAP, that helps me bucket projects and strips RACI down to what works.

R = Responsible
You own it. Clear scope, explicit success measures.

A = Adviser
You’re read in. You share feedback and ideas, then step back.

P = Participant
You engage but you don’t own. You help move things forward without carrying the full weight.

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Putting RAP Into Practice

• Check each ask. Am I being asked to be Responsible, an Adviser, or a Participant?
  
  
• Push back with clarity. “Happy to advise, but if you need me to own this, let’s revisit scope.”
  
  
• Balance time. Think in hours or capacity. Some weeks you flex up, others you scale back. It keeps trust and predictability.
  
  
• Create shared language. When everyone knows RAP, expectations are explicit, not assumed.
  
  

Final Thought

Scope creep doesn’t mean you say no. It means you stay intentional about your yes. RAP gives you the clarity to expand when it makes sense and protect your focus when it doesn’t.

Before you get “RAP”ped up in something new, ask: is this mine to own or just mine to influence?
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