What’s an Integrator and Why Does My Company Need One?

As a visionary, there will ultimately be several ideas floating through your mind, as well as a number of paths that you can opt to take. However, how do you ensure that you’re making the right decisions at the right times?

It may be time to turn to someone who can help with:

• Managing these ideas
• Conducting resources
• Filtering them
• Gathering resources and the needed cooperation to align with chosen objectives

These professionals are known as integrators, and some of them may occupy different positions by name (CMOs, COOs and VPs) in your business, but their main roles are all the same.

According to Indeed, an average Chief Operating Officer has 10-15 years of experience before occupying the role. Many integrators are also known as COOs in businesses, and their wealth of experience allows them to organize significant activities on a consistent basis.

They are responsible for the following in a company:

• Processes
• Strategies
• Employees

The responsibilities mentioned above encourage visionaries to work with integrators because they can handle everything efficiently and effectively.

What Is an Integrator in Business?

The term “integrator” was coined by Gino Wickman in his best-selling business books Traction and Rocketfuel. You typically learn about integrators when implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) as a management practice for your company.

“An Integrator is a person who is the tie-breaker for the leadership team, is the glue for the organization, holds everything together, beats the drum (provides cadence), is accountable for the P&L results, executes the business plan, holds the Leadership Team accountable, and is the steady force in the organization.” (EOS Worldwide). Plus, every business implementing the EOS management system needs an integrator.

Key Insights About Integrators in Businesses

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 5% increase occurred in the growth rate of integrators from 2018-2022. What this means is that companies are now beginning to see why they should bring in people who can help them progress quickly to the topmost level. It’s not new that integrators are multi-specialists. In fact, they can deal with a wide range of projects without ever skipping a beat.

So, here are a few mouth-watering stats that will further help you see reasons why hiring an integrator is best for your business:

• 75% of business owners feel that integrators will be an in-demand professional career in the next 10 years (Devex Next Generation Professional, 2018)
• Currently, 68,868 Chief Operating Officers are employed in the United States (Zippia, 2022)

• 25% of company owners see Chief Marketing Officers as individuals crucial to driving the growth plans and profits for an organization (CMO Council, 2016)
• 58% of COOs and CMOs prefer to work in private businesses than public ones (Zippia, 2022)

Why Does Your Company Need an Integrator Service?

You will be wondering why some businesses appear to be achieving a lot of success within a short period. Well, integrators may be the ones responsible for these successes and stability in companies.

That being said, let’s consider four reasons why you need to work with an integrator as soon as possible in your business.

1. Organize and Modify Goals

Is there ever such a thing as too many ideas? And if so, how can you choose the right ideas and work toward achievable goals?

Keep in mind that going along with the wrong ideas in your business can cause problems like:

• The hiring of poorly suited employees
• Distraction, as a result of having to move toward multiple targets
• Confusion and disorientation
• Inconsistency in meeting goals

Remember that integrators can also be individuals who can come into your business and help you develop an effective mission statement. Mission statements are brief and direct statements that explain your business goals. Integrators can craft an effective mission statement for a business, boosting its performance and developing new ideas.

2. Excellent Project Managers

If you look at most businesses closing nowadays, they always have issues with meeting deadlines. This means they may have teams that aren’t up to the task. Bringing an integrator into your business helps resolve problems like this quickly.

They manage projects by:

• Hiring the proper fit of people to carry out jobs
• Monitorong the usage of available resources
• Detecting loopholes that may cause delays in the work procession

Integrators waste no time in beginning a project and seeing it to completion. So, whenever a client brings a job, having an integrator in your business encourages you to do everything necessary to meet the deadline.

3. Accountability Experts

Do you know why most business owners find it hard to reach their goals — even when they have enough resources? It’s because they can’t make everyone within their organization centralize and focus on meeting one goal. An integrator can solve this problem by making everyone accountable, including the business owner.

Integrators ensure accountability by:

• Keeping everyone in alignment with the company’s objectives
• Utilizing resources to achieve goals
• Partnering with a business owner to select realizable targets

Integrators are well known for their tailored attempts to keep every hand on deck. They ensure that each person is responsible for their own set of goals.

4. Financial Flexibility

Whenever you decide to run a business, it’s impossible not to think about the costs and finances. Even though it’s essential to consider this vital aspect, there are ways you can be smarter to ensure management. For example, you can decide to hire a fractional integrator.

Fractional integrator services are excellent for those who may not want to take on hiring a full-time integrator. A fractional integrator brings many of the same results, but may only work part-time

In fact, fractional integrators can help you with the following:

• Minimizing hiring costs
• Achieving excellent results in a quick manner
• Ensuring the path is paved for the possibility of full-time integrators

Key Takeaways

One goal that many business owners never see come to fruition is being able to take time off, and not worry that your business is still running perfectly in their absence. The best bet to achieving such a dream is hiring an integrator for your business.