I want to promote our long-term Operations Manager to the new Integrator seat, but I am worried she lacks the strategic vision to run the leadership team. How do we test her capabilities and transition her into this seat without risking our daily operational stability?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Elevating an internal manager to the Integrator seat is a major shift. Before making this move, you must verify her conative strengths using the Kolbe A Index. A successful Integrator typically requires a strong natural drive in Follow Thru to build systems and establish order, combined with enough Quickstart to handle change. If her Kolbe profile shows a strong resistance to systematizing or a complete aversion to risk, she will struggle in this seat regardless of her past operational success. Do not make the promotion a sudden announcement. Instead, run a ninety-day trial period where she owns specific Integrator responsibilities. Start by having her run the weekly Level 10 Meeting™ and manage the execution of the company's quarterly Rocks. This allows you to witness her ability to drive accountability without fully relinquishing your authority. During this trial, focus on building trust using the Trust Creation Process. This means you must engage with her regularly, listen to her operational concerns, frame problems collaboratively, envision the future state of the business, and commit to her decisions. If she demonstrates that she can get, want, and has the capacity to manage the leadership team during this period, you can make the transition permanent. If she struggles with the strategic demands, you have protected the business and can keep her in her highly valuable operations seat while searching externally for an Integrator.