How to Onboard a #2 Leader

If you’re onboarding a COO, Integrator, or Second in Command (2IC), doing it right sets a foundation for healthy teams and business growth.

So you know What is a #2 Leader. You’ve gone through the #2 Leader Search. Now it’s time to properly onboard them for success.

Let’s breakdown how to onboard a #2 Leader. Your new #2 Leader (or Integrator/2iC) success is directly connected to how well you train, prepare and set expectations for their role in your company. This process is called onboarding, and is a critical part of the hiring process that nurtures your new hire into a happy, contributing member of your team.  Not sure what is an EOS Integrator?

Onboarding is important for every person you hire, but it can be a little bit different and more involved when you hire an Integrator or Second in Command (2iC). 

Before You Onboard a New #2 Leader Consider:

The #2 Leader Position Plays a Key role in Your Company

This position is the glue that holds the company together. As the Visionary’s counterpart, they will execute the Visionary’s plan, manage the day-to-day responsibilities, and handle any issues that come up. The relationship between the CEO and COO/#2 Leader/VP/Integrator/2iC (or whatever you call that role!) must be tight.

The #2 Leader Position Promotes Unity

During regular business operations, there are bound to be healthy doses of tension from time to time. The 2iC/Integrator position is the mediator, tiebreaker, and the one that smooths everything out between team members.

The #2 Leader Sees Your Big Picture

The #2 Leader position has an enormous role within a company. They must understand the company’s:

• V/TO (Vision Traction Organizer)
• one, three, and 10-year plans
• Core Focus
• Marketing Strategy
• Rocks and Issues Lists
• Culture
• Core Values

Thoroughly understanding all of this and knowing how to react intuitively takes time, so the onboarding process usually takes longer and is more comprehensive.

To ensure a successful #2 Leader onboarding, take the following steps:

Steps to Take to Successfully Onboard a #2 Leader

Step 1: Meet with your current team

Before starting your #2 Leader search, meet with your current team to explain the new position, why it is necessary, and the value the position will bring to the company. This will establish buy-in with your team from the beginning and make the transition easier.  

Step 2: Establish new patterns of communication

Once the #2 Leader is trained and onboarded, they will be the team’s new point of contact for questions, issues, and decisions that may come up during the workday. These new communication patterns take time to establish and get used to, but eventually will free up the Visionary to move away from the day-to-day responsibilities to focus on what they do best.

Step 3: Schedule shadowing time

Since handling cultural and political challenges will be the biggest hurdle facing a new #2 Leader, shadowing the Visionary can have huge advantages. Shadowing allows the 2iC/Visionary to listen, watch, absorb, and understand how issues are managed. The amount of shadowing time necessary is based on individual and company needs.

Step 4: Participate in same page meetings

The #2 Leader and Visionary must work closely together, and same page meetings help them do it. These regularly scheduled meetings give them an opportunity to talk through issues and make decisions before bringing them into the business. VisionSpark recommends same page meetings be held weekly for the first 90 days. 

Use these steps to carefully and methodically onboard your #2 Leader, giving them the best chance for successful, happy employment for years to come.

Contact VisionSpark. We can help you Hire with Confidence™!