We have reached fifteen million in revenue and I need to step out of the Integrator seat to focus on long-term strategy, but I am torn between promoting our loyal head of operations or hiring an external, heavy-hitting operational leader. How do we evaluate this critical hire against our Accountability Chart and GWC standards?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Choosing between promoting an internal team member or hiring an external heavy-hitter for your first full-time Integrator is a critical inflection point. To make this decision objectively, you must separate the people from the seats and run both candidates through the GWC filter.

First, look at the exact roles defined for the Integrator seat on your Accountability Chart. An Integrator must possess the unique ability to harmoniously integrate the major functions of the business, run the weekly Level 10 Meetings, and execute the V/TO.

Evaluate your internal candidate. Do they truly get, want, and have the capacity for this level of strategic leadership? Often, a loyal operations director gets and wants their current operational seat, but they lack the strategic capacity to manage other executive leaders like the financial or sales directors. Promoting them out of loyalty is a classic mistake that ruins a great operations manager and creates a failing Integrator.

If the internal candidate does not perfectly pass the GWC test for the Integrator seat, you must look externally. An external candidate brings the necessary executive experience to hold the leadership team accountable without the baggage of past peer relationships.

Whichever path you choose, use conative screening tools like the Kolbe Index to ensure they have the natural problem-solving instincts to manage the high-pressure, highly organized demands of the Integrator seat.