By: Nicole Mennicke, Fractional Integrator
Whether you’re the kickass fractional integrator or an EOS Implementer, finding the right counterpart is the key to amazing upward growth. In this post and a future post, we will explore the differences between the two roles and look at how the roles play off of and support one another for the right kind of gritty traction that takes a business to the next level.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
The EOS Implementer is the guide for the leadership teams as they work ON the business each quarter. They are asking the questions, bringing the team back to the company’s Core Values and serving as the facilitator of the group dialog that happens in quarterly and annual sessions. They point out any straying from the system and give context to how decisions are made, why accountability matters, when to address conflict and what tools to use in a given situation.
The fractional integrator is the Integrator™ for the business. Whether fractional or full-time, the Integrator is the master communicator, genius executioner, and sets the tone for and the pulse of the overall team. Their support is key to the health of the business as they serve as the connector between the Visionary’s big ideas and the execution of the team. The Integrator is the glue holding things together with a laser focus on moving the company goals forward.
SHARED GOAL: TEAM EMPOWERMENT
For this duo to work their magic, both must respect and own their roles for the greater good of the team. Leadership must understand which of the positions they go to with questions, for support, or to put ideas into action. Working with an operating system like EOS®, the upfront work of understanding roles, working with and experiencing a variety of tools is often a front-loaded workload. The long-term benefit is a shared language, universal processes and procedures, and everyone moving in the same direction. For those invested in the success of the company, understanding the key roles of the Integrator and the EOS Implementer is foundational to the overall growth and trajectory of the team.
Once the roles are understood, the value of the EOS Implementer and the Integrator truly begins. Ultimately, the goal of both seats is to provide the tools, resources, and information to the team so each seat on the accountability chart operates at the highest efficiency possible while making the right tactical contributions to the overall team. The proverb “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime” is fitting.
An EOS Implementer is often with an organization for around 2 years. Other times, they provide their support until a time when the team feels confident about running their sessions independently. Integrators, when fractional, are intended to be the support for companies finding themselves in the “messy middle”. Fractional integrators are guides who step fully into the role, injecting EOS knowledge and mentoring where needed while setting the team up for success with a full-time Integrator. As integrators do, they may have the capability to “stand” in other seats as needed, though good fractional executives make it clear that they will only fill the role temporarily. The shared goal is to develop and empower teams to fill those seats with the best and right people.
A COMMITMENT TO EOS PURITY
“I am so glad to have an evangelist in the room to help maintain purity.”
Shane Spillers, Certified EOS Implementer®
When the EOS Implementer and the Integrator duo find their groove, they serve as one another’s cheerleader, support system, and counterpart in moving the business forward and empowering the team. When humming, this duo brings clarity, translation and implementation of the vision, and shines light on the power of the operating system. The EOS Implementer is the facilitator of the bigger picture while the Integrator hones in on the day-to-day operations. This duo is the support and model for EOS pure; one at a high level, the other at a tactical level.
So, how is the health of your EOS Implementer / Integrator duo? Are both working together to bring more clarity, vision, and communication to your team? If so, congratulations! If not, consider calling Catalyst Integrators™ to learn more about how a fractional integrator might be a solution for your messy middle. We’d love to help!