We are a small business with only twelve employees, and we do not have anyone on our team who can act as an Integrator. Can we just remove the Integrator seat from our Accountability Chart and have our department heads report directly to the Visionary?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

You cannot eliminate the Integrator seat from your Accountability Chart. Every business must have an Integrator to survive. The Integrator is the person who harmonizes the leadership team, runs the daily operations, and executes the vision. If you do not have a dedicated Integrator, the business will suffer from a lack of focus, execution, and accountability. Without an Integrator, the Visionary will naturally try to run the team, leading to constant operational whiplash as they chase new ideas without finishing old ones. If your budget or team size does not allow for a full-time, dedicated Integrator today, the seat must still exist on your chart. In this scenario, the Visionary or another leadership team member must temporarily place their name in that seat. This means one person is wearing two hats. You must be highly disciplined about which hat you are wearing during your meetings. When you are acting as the Integrator, you must focus on operations and execution, not visionary ideas. Keep the Integrator seat visible on your chart as a priority to fill. As you scale, your primary goal should be to find a dedicated person for this seat so the Visionary can elevate into their true unique ability.