Integrator, COO or second-in-command: which does your company need?
By David Weigelt. Updated , 4 min read
They're often the same seat with different names. An Integrator is the EOS name for the leader who runs the business day to day and leads the leadership team. A COO usually owns operations and may or may not lead the whole team. "Second-in-command" is the plain-language version of either. Decide what the seat owns before you pick the title.
The Integrator
The term comes from EOS and the book Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters. The Integrator runs the weekly leadership meeting, holds the team accountable, resolves issues between departments and turns the Visionary's ideas into a plan. If you run on EOS, this is the seat you're filling.
The COO
A chief operating officer owns operations. In some companies that means everything except sales and finance. In others it means the COO is the president in all but name. The title tells you less than the org chart does.
The second-in-command
Owners who don't use either system often say they need a number two, a right hand or a general manager. They mean someone who can run the place when they're not there. In C12, where I chair forums, we call a leader like this a Key Player.
Three questions that settle it
Who will the leadership team report to, you or this person? What will you stop doing once they start? And is this a full-time seat or a fractional one for now? Your answers describe the seat. The title can follow.
Full-time or fractional
A company that isn't ready for a full-time senior hire can sometimes start with a fractional leader who serves a few companies at once. It costs less and it lets you both test the fit. It works when the owner is clear about what the fractional leader owns.
What matters more than the title
Whatever you call the seat, the person in it will speak for you when you're not in the room. Shared values matter more than the title on the door. I listen for five: calling, integrity, servant leadership, care for people and stewardship.
If you're deciding now
I'm glad to talk it through. A free 30-minute conversation is enough to get clear on the seat, and if I know someone who fits, I'll introduce you.