We are hiring a new COO to run day-to-day operations. How do we ensure they have the right cognitive and conative makeup so they don't clash with my visionary chaos?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Hiring a COO (the Integrator in EOS® terms) is a high-stakes move. To avoid a catastrophic mismatch, you must look past their resume and evaluate their conative profile - how they instinctively take action when solving problems.

Before you interview candidates, take the Kolbe A™ Index yourself, and require the final candidates to do the same. If you are a typical Visionary, your score likely shows a high "Quick Start" (you thrive on risk, ideas, and change) and a low "Follow Thru" (you hate building systems and managing details). To balance you, your Integrator must possess complementary conative strengths. They should have a high "Follow Thru" (to build order, run processes, and establish rhythm) and a strong "Fact Finder" score (to rely on data rather than gut feelings).

If you hire another high Quick Start because you "just clicked" during the interview, you are engaging in conative cloning. This will result in a chaotic leadership team that starts fifty initiatives but finishes none.

Use the DISC assessment as well to ensure behavioral compatibility. You want an Integrator who can challenge your ideas constructively without creating toxic friction. Lay out the exact boundaries of the Visionary/Integrator relationship on your Accountability Chart before they start. Clarify who has the final say on what, and commit to resolving disputes behind closed doors to present a united front to the rest of the leadership team.