The Integrator: A Breakdown of the Role

With a million ideas floating around and so many options for directions to take, who keeps an organization on track and in alignment with its core purpose? The Integrator. Integrators are the project managers, the doers, and the steady force that keep businesses focused.

An Integrator is a person who orchestrates the major functions of an organization. This is the person who manages day-to-day issues and holds the organization’s people, processes, systems, priorities, and strategies together.

The Day-to-Day of an Integrator

The day-to-day operation of the business is where Integrators get to excel in their Unique Ability. Leading, managing, and holding people accountable are some of the primary functions of an Integrator. They serve as the steady force behind the organization and drive clarity and communication throughout. 

As their role suggests, they integrate the essential functions of the business, including sales, marketing, operations, and finance, to create the healthy tension that drives results. The day-to-day of an Integrator can include:

• Business plan execution
• Harnessing the Visionary’s ideas
• Bringing the leadership team together and keeping them on the same page
• Ensuring the proper management of projects

Who Integrators Work With 

Because the primary function of an Integrator is the integration of essential functions, they work closely with the leadership team. In smaller organizations, this means managing the collaboration between finance, marketing, operations, and sales; in larger organizations, this means working together with the leaders of each function. 

The Integrator’s closest relationship in an organization is with the company’s Visionary. Where the Visionary functions as the idea machine, the Integrator harnesses those ideas into an executable plan to move forward without fragmenting the team.

The Work They Do

Integrators own their company’s operating system, or the way business functions. In other organizations, the Integrator commonly holds a title like COO. They perform the functions outlined above as a part of their day-to-day roles, facilitate relationships with the members of the leadership team, and own goal completion for the company.

How to Become an Integrator

Becoming an Integrator begins with identifying if you are one. Integrators are people who fit a specific archetype. They’re the problem-solving, forward thinkers that execute and drive results. To become an Integrator, the characteristics associated with them have to define you.

Tools and Resources Available to Integrators

Business leaders can become better Integrators by attending courses like the Integrator Masterclass™ from Rocket Fuel University™ and honing their Unique Ability. The free Rocket Fuel Community and communities like it are some of the best resources available to Integrators. Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters is another great resource for understanding the Integrator’s place in an organization.