I hired an Integrator to free me up, but she is operating more like a project manager or executive assistant than a true leader. She manages tasks but does not hold the other leadership team members accountable, forcing me to step in and play the bad guy. How do we fix this on our Accountability Chart?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a common point of friction when transitioning from a founder-led business to a Visionary and Integrator duo. If your Integrator is acting like a project manager, it usually means the roles in her seat on the Accountability Chart are poorly defined or she lacks the GWC™ for the true Integrator seat.

The Integrator seat must have five core roles: leading, managing, and holding the leadership team accountable (LMA), executing the business plan, integrating all major operating functions, resolving cross-functional issues, and ensuring organizational alignment. If she is focusing only on task management, she is missing the LMA role.

To resolve this, you must first have a Same Page Meeting to review her seat definition. Walk through the five roles and ask if she truly gets, wants, and has the capacity to lead and hold strong executives accountable. If she lacks the confidence or authority to manage peer executives, she is in the wrong seat.

You may need to restructure. If she is excellent at project management, create a separate Project Management Office seat lower on the chart. Then, you must recruit a true Integrator who can run the leadership team, run the Level 10 Meeting™, and manage daily execution, leaving you free to focus on long-term vision, key relationships, and preparation for your future exit.