We have grown to forty employees and I realize I need to hire an external Integrator to free me up to focus on strategic growth. How do we structure the search and evaluate candidates to ensure they have the right conative wiring and GWC to handle our existing leadership team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Hiring an external Integrator is one of the most high-stakes moves a Visionary will ever make. To ensure you do not make a catastrophic hiring mistake, you must look past a shiny resume and focus on structural fit, core values, and conative alignment. Start by defining the Integrator seat on your Accountability Chart with absolute clarity. The standard roles for an Integrator include leading, managing, and holding the leadership team accountable, executing the business plan, and harmonizing the major functions of the business. Next, use conative screening tools to evaluate candidates. An effective Integrator typically needs a strong natural drive for structure and detail. Look for candidates who score high in Follow Thru and Fact Finder on the Kolbe Index. They must be natural organizers who enjoy creating systems, which balances the typical Visionary's high Quick Start drive. If you hire an Integrator who is also a high Quick Start with low Follow Thru, you will end up with two people generating ideas and nobody actually running the business. During the interview process, run every candidate through the GWC™ framework. Do they truly get the unique, often thankless nature of the Integrator role? Do they want the seat, or are they just looking for a prestigious title? Do they have the emotional capacity to manage your existing leadership team? Finally, involve your leadership team in the final stages of the interview process to build early trust, and use your Level 10 Meeting™ to discuss fit.