You’ve just been named your company’s Integrator. Congratulations! Now what? If you’re transitioning to the Integrator role from another position internally, set yourself up for success.
What Does an Integrator Do?
Your Visionary gave you the job description, and your roles are listed on The Accountability Chart™. You’ve read Rocket Fuel, and, on paper, the role looks fairly straightforward (simple, not easy!). But what does it actually mean to serve as an Integrator in real life?
Of course, every Integrator’s tasks will look different depending on the needs of the business and the Visionary’s style or mindset. In general, you’ll need to ensure everyone stays focused on the most important things to move the business forward.
Your Visionary will likely come to you with 100 inspirational ideas before your morning coffee break. Your job is to cull that list to the best/most doable items. Then bring the Visionary’s lofty, futuristic thinking down to the ground by breaking down their big ideas into actionable steps. At the same time, you have to help the leadership team see how they fit into the big picture for the business.
That’s why many say that Integrators are the glue that keeps a team together. Integrators bring the major functions of the organization into a cohesive, well-oiled machine and manage the day-to-day issues, serving as the tiebreaker in discussions. Integrators lead, manage, and hold the leadership team accountable.
A Hard Deadline to Delegate/Stop Doing Previous Tasks
The funny thing about internal transitions: people forget not to come to you with tasks you handled in your previous role. Even if no one has replaced you on The Accountability Chart yet, you can’t keep doing everything from your previous role while starting your new one.
Work with your leadership team on a hard deadline to transition certain tasks away from you (or stop doing them altogether). Then give the rest of the company plenty of notice on new processes and communication about the change.
Ask for the Visionary and the rest of the leadership team’s support in ensuring everyone sticks to the deadline. Just as important, address the potential for end runs to the Visionary.
Staying on the Same Page with Your Visionary
If you have any confusion about your new seat, clarify roles with your Visionary ASAP. Open and honest communication and mutual respect are two of the five mindsets the Visionary and the Integrator must share.
You both need to be on the same page and provide a united front when interacting with the leadership team and the rest of the company.
See how closely aligned you and your Visionary are by each taking the Rocket Fuel Power Index™. Share the results in your next Same Page Meeting® and develop a plan for addressing weaker areas.
Commit to Professional Development and Networking
You want to hit the ground running as you transition into the Integrator role. By becoming a Rocket Fuel Community member, you’ll learn how to combine your Personal Core Focus with that of your Visionary. Together, you become an unstoppable force for your business, creating what we call Rocket Fuel™.
To truly master your Integrator role, consider registering for an upcoming Integrator Masterclass®. In the Integrator Masterclass, we take deep dives into mastering the 5 Rules and 5 Tools™, including maintaining mutual respect with your Visionary and avoiding end runs.
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