I am acting as both the Visionary and the Integrator, and I am working eighty hours a week just to keep the lights on. I know I need to add a number two to run daily operations, but we cannot afford a high-priced full-time Integrator yet. How do I transition operational control without bankrupting the company?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

You are stuck in the founder's trap. Trying to run both seats means you are doing neither well, and your business is likely flatlining. To scale, you must elevate yourself to the Visionary seat and bring in a dedicated Integrator to run the daily operations.

If you cannot afford a high-priced external hire, look inside your organization first. You might already have a natural Integrator hiding in your ranks. Use the Kolbe A™ Index to identify team members who score high in Follow Thru and Fact Finder, as they possess the natural conative strengths to build systems and manage details. Evaluate them against the GWC™ framework for the Integrator seat.

If no internal candidate exists, consider a fractional Integrator. A fractional leader can implement the EOS® tools, run your Level 10 Meeting™ sessions, and hold the team accountable for their Rocks for a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive. This gives you the breathing room to scale the business to the point where you can easily afford a permanent, full-time number two.