EOS Visionary and Integrator…What Are They?

by Apr 15, 2021

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EOS Visionary and Integrator…What Are They?

By Marshall Krupp, Professional EOS Implementer
In collaboration with Ashley Berecz, Executive Assistant

 

How does a machine stay running? A machine has parts that continuously move in order to keep the machine from failing, but who thought of the machine? Who checks the machine daily to make sure everything is working properly? Who applies the grease that keeps the gears moving with the least amount of friction?  Who handles the situation when the machine clogs up?

The employees are the human condition of the machine.  However, without a strong leader and leadership team, the machine is like a boat without a captain.

Jim Collins the author of “Good To Great” also wrote “The Flywheel Effect”.  In his writings, he shares that a flywheel is a massive metal disk, or wheel, that often weighs over 2,000 kgs. It takes a lot of effort to get it started, but once it starts to turn there are counterweights around the outside of the wheel that start to take effect and it starts to build momentum almost by itself. From that point, the same effort can be placed on the flywheel and it will start to turn faster and faster.  Collins suggests that a business is the same as a flywheel that gains momentum.

A business is remarkably similar to a moving machine. It is like a flywheel gaining the momentum of success.  A little pushing can result in great speed and even greater accomplishments.  But who is it that starts that first push?  Who is it that continues to drive others to add to and continues the pushing to gain momentum?

In an EOS® run organization, you will notice that instead of a CEO you may see or hear words such as “Visionary” or “Integrator.” In most cases, you will also notice that the Visionary and Integrator are two separate people within a company.  It is these two positions that have specific roles to attain their functions.  It is these two that keep the machine greased and the flywheel turning, each with a specific responsibility. So, what is a Visionary? What is an Integrator? What are their roles within a company? How can you tell which one you are?

The “Visionary” is the big picture thinker.  They stay above in the clouds, over 30,000 feet in the air. They think 5-, 10-, 15-years into the future. They love and are energized by thinking that far ahead. They tend to be the founder or CEO (but not always) and they like to think about creative ideas. However, they can sometimes create chaos because they may have limited patience for details and may get distracted by shiny objects and flying squirrels which can ultimately stall them from moving forward.

The “Integrator” on the other hand thrives on systems and processes. They enjoy the day-to-day task of keeping the business moving in the right direction. They are great at holding people accountable and thrive on consistency. They see when the machine needs to be greased and know when to let it run.  In an organization, the Integrator can vary. They may be the COO, Operations Manager, Vice President, or maybe the Office Manager. One behavior of the Integrator is that they carry the “grease can” and pull the trigger when the friction of the machine appears to be slowing down.  Without the Integrator there is likely a chance of the friction of the machine causing the machine to work ineffectively and inefficiently.  So, the Integrator is a critical component of the machine running smoothly.

How do the Visionary and Integrator work together? Well, you can’t have a pilot without a co-pilot or a boat captain without his/her first mate. They may knock heads, but they balance each other out with their individual strengths, as well as their weaknesses. To learn more about how a Visionary and an Integrator work together, a great book to read is “Rocket Fuel” by EOS®  Founder, Gino Wickman.

 

“One sees the future, the other makes it happen.” – Gino Wickman

 

When you run your business on EOS®, one of the first tools you will learn is to map out your “Accountability Chart” and the roles needed for each function of the business.  In many businesses, the Accountability Chart is known as the “organization chart” or an organigram or organogram.  Sometimes it is described as the business’s “Structure”.  But an Accountability Chart is something that is usually uniquely different than an organization chart.  An Accountability Chart not only sets forth the functions and roles for each component of that business that an individual will be delegated to, it also puts in place the ownership of that function and role so that there is a high level of accountability and responsibility for the attainment of the roles and duties of the function.

The Accountability Chart is built around the needed functions and roles of the businesses, not the individuals that are currently employed.  Through a process of the EOS® tool called the “People Analyzer,” the people that are the right people for the right seats are then placed into the functions and roles.  The team members who fill in the roles as the Visionary and Integrator will be one of the first steps taken in building the Accountability Chart. No need to worry if your organization is not at the capacity where there is room for both an Integrator and Visionary. In a lot of cases, they happen to be one person.

Experience has shown that being able to identify a Visionary from an Integrator in a business can be difficult without third party observations.  Even more evident is the inability of Visionaries and Integrators in the same company to recognize that they may need to give up some areas of responsibility to elevate the effectiveness of the individuality of the Visionary and the Integrator so that there is a distinction between both and so both can attain the greatest success for the good of the company.  Through training, discipline, practice, and mastery, aligning the Visionary and the Integrator in a complementary way will best serve the company with less confusion, complexity, and discourse.  It models and reinforces an accountability culture that leads to greater success of the leadership team and the employees.

We have linked a video from EOS® Worldwide that will be able to provide some visual detail. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YRGZfzyk8M&t=2s

The Integrator and Visionary are essential components to gaining traction within your organization, they provide the structure while also the creative moment to keep a business moving forward. Curious to find out if you are a Visionary or an Integrator? We are always happy to meet with anyone. So if you would like to continue this discussion further, please contact us at ashley.berecz@peerexecutiveboatds.com or go to our website www.peerexecutiveboards.com and contact us virtually. We will be happy to get back to you!

 

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TractionPureis an affiliate of Peer Executive Boards and focused on “elevating entrepreneur businesses from complexity to simplicity” using the EOS® Model and Process.  EOS®, the Entrepreneurial Operating System® takes entrepreneur businesses on a journey of mastery of the EOS tools which enables businesses to elevate their leadership teams to make better decisions, maintain a level of accountability, and attain greater success more simplistically.  The components of EOS® are Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, and Traction, which when used effectively attains a healthier organization with greater success.  Marshall Krupp is the founder and Principal of TractionPure2 and a recognized Professional EOS® Implementer serving clients throughout the nation.  He is also a national speaker, a past award-winning Vistage Worldwide Chair, and a past career in providing crisis management strategic service to businesses, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.

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