Three Key Attributes of Every Successful Integrator and Integrator Search

One of the key positions in any company is that of an Integrator. If you are a Visionary who is focused on the big picture, the future growth of your company and achieving monumental goals, you know you need a strategic partner to help you with the integrator search.

That’s the role of the Integrator.

An Integrator defined

Gino Wickman, EOS Worldwide founder, defines the Integrator as the following:

“In EOS® companies, the Integrator is a critical executive-level role that complements the organization’s Visionary. Often taking the title of President, COO, General Manager, or Chief of Staff, the Integrator is ‘the tie-breaker for the Leadership team, the glue for the organization…[the one who] executes the business plan, holds the Leadership Team accountable, is the steady force in the organization…[and] who is the filter for all of the Visionary’s ideas…’”

The relationship between a Visionary and an Integrator is vitally important. The Integrator has to have the delicate balance of executing the Visionary’s goals, while also being a strategic thinker, a strong manager, and aligning with your company’s culture and core values.

Key Attributes to Success

We’ve interviewed and helped to successfully hire hundreds of Integrators for our clients’ open positions. During those interviews and subsequent hires, we’ve heard about and witnessed a number of good qualities that those Integrators have. 

But in our experience, we’ve found time and time again, that there are three key attributes successful Integrators consistently possess: 

Key attribute #1: Mental Acuity

Mental acuity is the ability to see, hear, or understand concepts easily. Juggling the many duties of the Integrator role requires someone with a sharp mind, a good memory,  and a higher success rate pivoting companies’ products and services with the changing economy and markets. It requires someone who is a strategic thinker, a critical thinker and a good problem solver.  

Key attribute #2: Organizational skills

With many priorities and duties to perform, a successful Integrator has impeccable organizational skills. They value planning and have the ability to prioritize and anticipate. They are able to understand project deadlines, and use their time, energy and mental capacity to achieve the Visionary’s goals.

Key attribute #3: Orientation toward process and structure

A successful Integrator has the skill set to rise above all the moving parts, take a high-level view of the company, and establish processes and structure. This involves reducing complexity, creating accountability, and being able to systemize, simplify, and apply technology to the company’s processes—all while remaining consistent.

How we help

As Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) users ourselves, we understand the significance of the Integrator role. We work with you to conduct an integrator search that will identify the person who will fit with your culture and have the right qualities, skills, and characteristics to complement your Visionary. 

We cast a wide net—often attracting 300 candidates—for your position. Then we vet candidates using an assessment tool that has an 80-95% validity and high reliability for predicting future job performance. The most promising candidates are selected for behavioral interviewing. 

Afterward, you will be given a choice of highly qualified Superstar candidates for your integrator search, which represents about 1% of the total applicants, each presented with their strengths and weaknesses. With no bad options, you are free to choose your Integrator with confidence.

If you have questions about the role of an Integrator, how to hire one, or would like to learn more about our process, please contact us. We know first-hand the impact an Integrator has on your company, and are committed to helping you find the right partner for your Visionary.