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It’s safe to say there is not another relationship more crucial to the success of a business than the relationship between a company’s Visionary and its Integrator™.
Why?
Because these two positions serve as the foundation of every company. They work together like a marriage, with a common goal of raising a business to achieve its full potential, and each position contributing its unique traits and talents to the cause.
And while they are both necessary components of a business, they are also very different from each other.
The Role of the Visionary
A Visionary sees the big picture, generates new ideas and is always selling the big deals. The Visionary is also focused on research and development, the company’s culture and growing the business’s external relationships.
As the business’s official cheerleader, the Visionary has a passion for the business, is inspiring and encouraging to the team and its clients, and is always finding a solution to a need in the marketplace.
Visionaries are inventors, developers, sensitive to the marketplace, and focused on the future. It is an energy zapper for many Visionaries to get into the weeds of the business. We need them to be operating within their unique ability in order to be most beneficial to the company.
The Role of the Integrator™
The Integrator™ is the number 2 in the business, and is responsible for overseeing sales, operations and finance. Integrators™ are great at processes, uniting the team, delegating tasks, and empowering employees to make decisions and grow the company. The number 2 is strong in communications and customer service, and is focused on ensuring a positive client experience.
How They Work Together
Communication is important so the Visionary and Integrator™ should meet regularly. EOS® recommends monthly check-ins, but we suggest a more frequent cadence, especially during the first few months. We believe the Visionary and the number 2 should meet twice a week for the first 45-60 days, gradually reducing the frequency to once per week, then twice per month.
The Visionary and Integrator™ should work well together and be respectful of each other’s unique individual strengths.
Why Visionaries Needs Integrators™
Most Visionaries wear multiple hats before they decide it’s time to hire a number 2. Trying to be the Visionary, the Integrator™ and overseeing finance is too much for one person—it zaps energy, causes burnout, and impacts the relationships with those closest to you.
It is draining to be held accountable for tasks that aren’t your Unique Ability. Going back and forth between these responsibilities leads to mental fatigue, and you end up not doing any of those tasks well.
Once a Visionary hires the right number 2, they feel it’s the best decision they ever made. They have more free time, there is more margin, the business is growing, and they can take a vacation (and really escape – not worry and check emails the whole time).
Hiring a number 2 is a good investment because an Integrator™ increases the value of the business, and usually makes up their salary ten-fold. With an Integrator™ in place, the Visionary can focus on their strengths, remembers why they love coming to work, and realizes that the Integrator is what has been missing from the business all along.
Do you need help hiring your number 2? VisionSpark has been leading Integrator searches for hundreds of companies since 2011, helping them find the “right people for the right seats” and Hire With Confidence™! Do you have questions about our services? Visit our website or contact us for more information!
