The Power of a Visionary & Integrator Relationship

Do you feel completely overwhelmed while running your interior design business? Does it seem that, no matter how hard you work, you never seem to get ahead?

Are there a number of things you hate doing, but you have to do them to keep your business running?  

The issue might not be with how hard you’re working. The issue could be that you’re doing work that’s better suited for someone else’s personality.

You’re probably thinking…

“I can’t afford to get help.”

“No one can do it as well as I can.”

“If I just work harder, everything will get better.” 

That’s where a visionary and integrator relationship comes in. By figuring out how someone else can complement your personality and work style, you can create an interior design business plan that flows effortlessly.

What is a Visionary and an Integrator?

The Visionary

A visionary creates a business vision. They’re constantly coming up with new ideas, and they’re passionate about their company, products, services and customers. A visionary sees the big picture of an organization and is adept at solving complex problems. 

While visionaries are very creative and forward-thinking, they’re often risk-takers. They get bored running the daily aspects of a business. They need someone who can ground them and take care of the smaller actions while they develop ways to push the business forward. 

The Integrator

An integrator loves managing teams and ensuring a business runs smoothly. They’re pragmatic. They see an idea, but know how to make it a reality through organization, communication and goal-setting. 

Integrators know how to hold team members, subcontractors and even visionaries accountable for delivering on time. Integrators can also identify problems and remove obstacles to ensure the company operates efficiently. 

The Visionary and Integrator Relationship

You can already see how a visionary and integrator relationship complements each other. Visionaries tend to start companies, but struggle to manage daily operations and processes. Integrators manage teams well, but may not necessarily come up with ideas to successfully grow a business. 

In short, a visionary will come up with innovative ways to grow the company, and the integrator will make it happen. 

The visionary and integrator relationship is so powerful that Gino Wickman wrote a book about them. This book lays out the principles of how the complementary relationship between a visionary and integrator acts like “rocket fuel” for your business — propelling it higher and more efficiently than if a visionary or integrator operated solely on their own. 

How to Identify if You’re a Visionary or Integrator

You probably have some sense of which one you relate to more. Are you the type to come up with big ideas? Or do you like making big ideas come true? 

The best way to know for sure if you’re a visionary or integrator is to take the Rocket Fuel Assessment. It’s an 8-10 minute test that asks you to rate a series of statements from one to five, such as:

• “I embrace and enjoy the role of being the engine for big, new, breakthrough ideas, the spark, getting them started.”
• “I am a great leader. People tend to follow me.” 
• “I have zero patience for putting operational policy, structure, and repeatability systems in place.”
• “I naturally think about the future of the industry, our product or our service, what’s coming, and how we can best position the company to take advantage of it.”
  

Taking the test lets you know for sure which personality type you have. This allows you to understand how best to move forward in your interior design business plan. 

If you’re an entrepreneur, you’re likely already a visionary. Therefore, you need an integrator who can create and improve project processes, manage your interior design marketing campaigns, and write up project details other members of the team understand. 

An integrator coordinates and keeps everyone on the team accountable. They’re the oil that makes your business run smoother. 

If you’ve now identified yourself as a visionary, you know you would benefit from hiring an integrator. But how do you find the best fit for your company? 

How to Integrate an Integrator into Your Business

Hiring an integrator can take your business to the next level. Hiring incorrectly, though, can waste time and resources. Here’s how to find the best integrator for your home design business. 

• Be selective. It’s okay if you don’t find the right integrator at first. It should take time, as you’re selecting someone who will have crucial command over your business. Don’t rush the recruiting step. 
  

• Ensure a good culture fit. Do you think the integrator would be happy on your team? Would your team be happy with the integrator? Cohesion in company culture is crucial for ensuring your interior or landscape design business plan runs smoothly. Ensuring a good culture fit is perhaps the most important step in the hiring process. 
  

• Teach your integrator what you know. Your integrator must be on the same page as you. You will need to coach them to get them up to speed on your business plan and they should be just as passionate about it as you are. 
  

• Start them out on a few small projects. Beginning a new job at a company can be overwhelming. To ensure your integrator starts on the right foot, give them a few small tasks when they first begin. 
  

• Communicate expectations clearly and directly. As a visionary, you might find it difficult to articulate your ideas. But taking the time to guarantee you’re both on the right page is crucial for ensuring your business grows how you intend it. 
  

Whether it’s running daily business operations or spearheading a home design marketing campaign, the combined power of a visionary and integrator relationship could successfully grow and take your company to new levels.

Interested in boosting and adding “rocket fuel” to your home design business plan? Sign up for our Free Group Workshops for help and tips to grow your business.