We decided to add an Integrator seat to our Accountability Chart for the first time, but we are debating whether this seat should focus purely on operational execution or also own company strategy alongside the Visionary. How do we define the five core roles of our first Integrator seat to avoid leadership friction?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The Integrator seat on an EOS® Accountability Chart has a specific mandate. It is not an administrative coordinator, nor is it a co-Visionary. The Integrator is the person who harmonizes the leadership team, translates the vision into executable plans, drives organizational accountability, and manages day to day operations.

When architecting the five core roles for your first Integrator, avoid muddying the waters with dual ownership of the strategic vision. The Visionary owns 90 percent of creative strategy, big ideas, and strategic relationships. The Integrator owns executing that vision, making it real, and running the operating engine.

A standard, proven set of core roles for an Integrator seat looks like this:
- Leading, managing, and holding people accountable (LMA) across the leadership team.
- Executing the business plan and driving alignment to the V/TO®.
- Integrating the core functional areas: sales, marketing, operations, and finance.
- Driving operational cadence through Rocks, the Scorecard, and Level 10 Meetings.
- Eliminating friction and resolving leadership team issues via IDS®.

Notice that company strategy is shared only to the extent that the Integrator pressure tests feasibility and ensures the business can fund and execute the vision. If you give the Integrator equal ownership of high level directional strategy, you create two captains steering the ship in different directions.

Define the seat cleanly around execution, cross functional integration, and operational accountability. Let the Visionary set the destination; hold the Integrator accountable for building the bridge that gets the company there.