I am an owner preparing to step back into a pure Visionary seat and hire our first Integrator, but candidates are demanding significant equity and COO titles upfront. How do we structure the Accountability Chart and vetting process so we do not over-title or over-commit before proving GWC?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Never negotiate titles or equity before you have defined the seat on your Accountability Chart. In EOS®, structure always comes before people. The title of Chief Operating Officer often brings corporate baggage, vanity expectations, and demands for equity that have nothing to do with execution. Your focus must be on finding a true Integrator.

Start by defining the five major roles of the Integrator seat. Typically, these are leading, managing, and holding people accountable (LMA), executing the business plan, harmonizing the leadership team, driving organizational clarity, and ensuring cross-functional operational execution. Once these accountabilities are locked down, evaluate candidates purely through the lens of GWC™:
- Do they Get It? Do they instinctively understand how all moving parts of your business model connect, without needing you to hold their hand?
- Do they Want It? Do they genuinely love the daily grind of solving operational friction, managing direct reports, and keeping projects on track?
- Do they have the Capacity to do it? Do they possess the cognitive bandwidth, emotional stamina, and past leadership experience to run this specific revenue tier?

Make the initial offer based on competitive market compensation tied directly to scorecard metrics and quarterly Rocks. Offer equity only after the individual has operated in the seat for at least twelve months, hit their scorecard measurables, and proven they are a permanent culture match. If an executive candidate refuses to step into the seat without immediate equity grants, they are negotiating for ownership rather than accountability. Keep looking.