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by
Gino Wickman
As a Visionary, I . . . • see things that aren’t there or haven’t been seen before. • visualize all possible scenarios and identify the probable outcome. • think sideways, live in the “what if” space. • super-simplify complicated things to core elements, and toss the rest. • drive strategic business development. • open doors and influence key sales opportunities. • come up with new products and enhancements. • see the future possibilities. • see the big picture and how all the pieces fit together. • am the spark and energy for the culture. • champion our Core Values and Core Focus. • keep an
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As an Integrator, I . . . • am the “answerer” for functional leaders. • act as a filter. • prioritize. • provide direction. • keep the team focused on reaching our goals/completing our quarterly targets. • move the team to action/get things done. • help solve client and people issues. • retain and grow great talent. • keep everyone on the same page. • convert vision to strategy to tactical plans. • collaborate with the Visionary on his or her vision. • provide a sounding board for the Visionary. • help to determine when we need to stay focused and when we need to begin new initiatives. • hold
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A Visionary, when considering a list of Integrator traits, may think, “I do that, and I’m pretty good at it!” While this may be true, the Visionary’s true nature is still there—just beneath the surface. When honest with themselves, they will often admit that while they “can” do a particular Integrator task, they don’t love doing it. At least not doing it consistently, every day, always.
1. It simply hasn’t occurred to the Visionary that someone can help run the company.
2. The Visionary can’t yet see the financial payoff. Their conception of the benefit remains fuzzy, while the concrete costs of adding to the team are all too real.
The Visionary wants an Integrator and just can’t figure out how to get one in place...
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The Visionary gets it (though they may not admit this to others) and simply doesn’t want it. The idea of letting go, and giving up som...
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The knowledge that we are totally in sync gives me the comfort to let Hamsa run the day-to-day business operations. If I have the slightest suspicion that we are not on the same page, I start to meddle, and unconsciously communicate to employees that if you don’t like Hamsa’s decision, then you can come negotiate with me. This causes major problems in the long run, as it makes Hamsa feel disempowered and then causes me way more stress.”
THE 5 RULES 1. Stay on the Same Page 2. No End Runs 3. The Integrator Is the Tie Breaker 4. You Are an Employee When Working “in” the Business 5. Maintain Mutual Respect
As an effective V/I duo, you really must be on the same page. If not, you’ll either make your team uncomfortable or give them mixed messages.
The Same Page Meeting is a scheduled monthly meeting between only the Visionary and the Integrator. Allow two to four hours for the meeting, and always meet somewhere outside the office. Begin by “Checking In” with each other on a relationship level: How are you doing? What’s your state of mind? What sort of business and personal stuff is on your mind? Remember, the V/I relationship is a sort of “marriage” within the business, so treat it like you would any other relationship of importance.
Same Page Agenda • Check In (How are you doing? State of mind? Business and personal stuff?) • Build Issues List (bring issues to the meeting) • IDS (Identify, Discuss, and Solve issues)
Every organization seems to have one person that everyone complains to, but if the person doesn’t handle the situation properly, it can start the spread of a plague in your organization.
So, what’s “the question” that you need to ask at the end of an end run, or after unproductive complaining? It’s simply this: “Are you going to tell ’em, or am I going to tell ’em? Because one of us needs to tell ’em.”
A great Integrator will make better decisions than a Visionary because of being better in tune with all issues, priorities, and resources.
Most of the time, big strategic decisions are covered in the Same Page Meeting. For example, large capital investments, changes from the agreed plan for strategic direction, and leadership-level personnel changes are all typically discussed there first.
As Owners (only applicable for Partnerships): 1. Hold formal quarterly Owner meetings 2. Have monthly Same Page Meetings 3. Communicate in a straight line—no being vague 4. Engage in 50/50 dialogue, listen/let them talk, hear each other 5. Present a united front “in” the business 6. Solve issues before bringing them “in” the business; all company issues are fair game
As Employees: 1. Present a united front in the presence of others, and don’t expect any special entitlements as an Owner 2. Integrator makes final decisions “in” the business, and any disagreements are handled in V/I Same Page or Owners Box meeting 3. Don’t engage in politics or pull end runs with other people 4. Have complete accountability for the role/seat; play by the rules; you must be the right person in the right seat 5. You can be fired
Ownership does not carry with it any right to employment. If you are not the right person for the seat, you should be removed from that seat—for the greater good of the organization.
If you have a lack of respect for each other, you must end the relationship. Life is too short.
Regardless of equity interests, the Visionary should genuinely treat the Integrator as a partner—not as a minion.
The reason for this protracted gathering was that the Visionary and the Integrator did not respect each other. As a result, that level of dysfunction consumed almost ten unnecessary hours. That time could have been applied to much higher and better use. Having to endure the countless hours of jabs and distrust also greatly hurt the Leadership Team’s confidence and effectiveness.
Simply put, you should never make a negative comment about your V/I counterpart to anyone in the organization—ever.
To keep things simple, we will start with a basic context. We have found that only three scenarios exist in companies that do not yet firmly have an Integrator in place: 1. You cannot identify an Integrator among the current team—you’ll have to look outside. 2. There is an Integrator in your organization somewhere, but you just have not recognized them yet— and they are just waiting to be discovered. 3. You have an existing Visionary/Integrator combination (typically a partnership), but your two roles have not yet been clarified to divide and conquer.
Finding Integrators in the world of small businesses ($2–$50 million) is hard. One recruiter noted, “There’s a gap in the world.” According to one profiling expert, “Only about 22% of the world is even cut out to become a Visionary,” yet the real problem pops up when he explains that only 5.5% of the world is truly cut out to be an Integrator.
One Integrator does not fit the purposes of all Visionaries.
Said another way, of all the Integrators out there, only 2.5% are likely to be a great match for you. That’s scary!
The V/I Connection Process—7 Steps 1. Use the Visionary Spectrum to determine how much Visionary your company needs 2. Map your Visionary profile 3. Identify your ideal Integrator profile—your complementary puzzle piece 4. Use the Four Readiness Factors to confirm that you are ready for an Integrator 5. Initiate your search and find your Integrator match 6. On-board your new Integrator and ramp-up 7. Follow the V/I Relationship Cycle—Plan, Execute, Same Page, Align
As you work to understand exactly what your Visionary puzzle piece looks like, you should revisit the Visionary DNA discussed in Chapter 1 (page 22), along with the Visionary Indicator Assessment (page 24). Work through them carefully to calibrate a solid sense of your various strengths and weaknesses, and any gaps that will be particularly relevant for this V/I Connection Process.
When Urban Acres’s Visionary Steven Bailey decided it was time to find his Integrator, he engaged the assistance of Culture Index Dallas-Fort Worth—an expert firm in assessing, diagnosing, planning, and executing on all people decisions.
Steven actually hired a candidate who very likely would not have been hired without the insight of the Culture Index program.
In addition to the Culture Index program, we’ve also known clients to use DiSC, Kolbe, Myers-Briggs (MBTI), and TTI.
As mentioned in STEP 2, consider using a profiling expert for this step. We highly recommend it—as long as you are comfortable with the investment.
As Dan Sullivan says, “There’s either going to be long-term suffering, or short-term suffering. You choose. Either way there will be suffering.”
1. Financial readiness (affordability) 2. Psychological readiness (ready to let go of some control) 3. Lifestyle readiness (ready for fewer hours) 4. Unique Ability® readiness (ready to be 100% you)
Also, the book The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels by Michael Watkins is highly recommended as an additional supplement.
You might realize that you really just want to stay small, choosing to give up growth instead of letting go. Know this. If you are not ready, that is admirable to admit—there’s nothing wrong with that. And being honest with yourself is clearly preferred to false starts. Some Visionaries aren’t ready. Some will never be ready. Don’t let this book force you to do something you are not ready to do—or that simply isn’t right for you.
One of our clients had their new Integrator spend their entire first 90 days just observing every aspect of the company. In weekly meetings, the new Integrator would sit quietly—for 13 straight weeks. On the 90th day, the Visionary turned the reins over to the Integrator. He found this modus operandi to be very effective. The “listen first” approach is powerful for multiple reasons. Mainly, it helps the new Integrator understand the company’s inner workings instead of immediately running the company while attempting to learn about everyone and everything simultaneously. The challenge for the
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Being a great Integrator depends more on the ability to manage human energy than being an industry expert.
“Don’t mistake activity for productivity. Creativity is productivity—it just doesn’t feel like it at first.”
The 5 Tools 1. The Accountability Chart (covered in Chapter 4) 2. The Core Questions 3. The 90-Day World 4. The Weekly Level 10 Meeting 5. The Scorecard
objectives, initiatives, priorities. We prefer the term “Rocks,” made popular by Verne Harnish, who borrowed it from Stephen R. Covey’s time-management illustration in his book First Things First.
The reason to limit 90-Day Priorities to three to seven is that you’re going to break the habit of trying to focus on everything at once. It simply can’t be done. By limiting priorities, you can focus on what is most important. Remember the old saying: When everything is important, nothing is important.
The Weekly Level 10 Meeting, like a heartbeat, creates a consistent flow that keeps the company healthy.
What makes for great meetings is solving problems. Patrick Lencioni says it best: “Your meetings should be passionate, intense, exhausting, and never boring.”
The Weekly Level 10 Meeting Agenda • Segue (Good News) (5 minutes) • Scorecard (5 minutes) • 90-Day Priority review (5 minutes) • Customer/Employee Headlines (5 minutes) • To-Do List (5 minutes) • IDS (Issues List) (60 minutes) • Conclude (5 minutes)
Football coach Vince Lombardi was famous for his mantra that early is on time, and on time is late. Arrive a few minutes early so you can begin to get your head in the game. The only reasons for missing the Weekly Level 10 Meeting are vacation or death. Even if someone cannot make the meeting, the show must go on. Don’t reschedule it and don’t cancel it.
Your To-Do List and your IDS Issues List should be included in the actual printed agenda (see visual above).
time. Each person reports that his Priority is either “on track” or “off track.” No discussion—the discussion will happen later.
Any issues, bad news, or concerns that need further discussion should be dropped to the IDS portion of the agenda to be solved.
