The Integrator is the leader who brings clarity and gives focus to accomplish the business plan. They have this natural ability to lead, manage, and hold the leadership team accountable & they operate on logic. The Integrator is the glue that holds the team together!
As the discussion continued, it was clear everyone agreed the owner was definitely a Visionary and belonged in the Visionary seat as well as the Integrator seat. The Sales leader spoke up and said “’Joe’ should go in the Integrator seat, he does most of those roles and responsibilities now. He’s the one that’s in every day, knows every department and how they tick.”
So, the debate began; at first very timidly. “Joe” could not fathom himself in that seat, after all he was newer to the company, what authority did he have to make decisions for the whole company? However as the discussion progressed, it became clear that the owner had thought of “Joe” often for such a role. He was his go to person to get things done, he put some reality to the owners ideas, and yes on occasion shot the idea down. The owner knew he couldn’t be there every day, nor did he want to.
The debate continued, and the owner stayed in the seat.
Now that we had identified who would own the seat, it was time for a real time performance review, GWC. (For more on GWC, click here.) G is for Get It, W is for Want it and C is Capacity to do it. You simply answer Yes or No for each one. As we went around the table and each leader gave a real time performance review for the owner in the Integrator seat, 2 out of the 3 were a NO, including from the owner himself. Clearly the owner was not the right person for the seat.
We then put “Joe” in the seat. As we went through the same exercise, giving “Joe” a real time performance review, he received 3 yeses from everyone on the team. It was clear “Joe” was the right person for the Integrator seat.
Don't let fear of the Integrator seat hold your company back, make sure you have the right person leading your organization.
