You weren’t born into this seat. Maybe you bought the company. Maybe the board hired you. Maybe you’re stepping in for a founder or family members.
However you got here, you’re now sitting in the Visionary seat of an organization that’s looking to you for something you’re not quite sure how to provide. Welcome to one of the most misunderstood seats in business.
If you’re like most new Visionaries, you’re probably doing one of two things right now: trying to lead exactly like your predecessor did, or trying to prove you belong by getting involved in everything. Both approaches will fail. Here’s what you actually need to know about becoming the Visionary your company needs.
What Nobody Tells You About Taking the Visionary Seat
The Visionary seat is not about running the company, managing people, or knowing how everything works. That probably feels wrong, especially if you’re taking over from someone who did all those things. But here’s the truth: just because the previous leader did everything doesn’t mean the new Visionary should.
Your Job Has Five Core Accountabilities
- Creating and protecting the vision
- Building and maintaining key relationships
- Solving big, high-impact problems
- Being the face of company culture
- Generating new ideas and innovations
Notice what’s not on that list? Operations. Finance details. HR issues. Daily firefighting. Those belong to your Integrator and department heads.
Related Reading: EOS Implementer vs. Integrator vs. Visionary
The 5 Types of New Visionaries (Which One Are You?)
The Buyer: You just wrote a big check to buy this company. You saw the potential, ran the numbers, and took the leap. Now you own it, but you don’t really know it. You’re trying to learn the business while making changes to justify the purchase price. The clock is ticking on ROI.
The PE Operating Partner: Private equity installed you to turn this company around or take it to the next level. You have added pressure and about 3–5 years to create a success story. The team sees you as the “corporate” person here to change everything they love about working here.
The Hired CEO: The board or owners brought you in as the professional leader. You’re supposed to bring “real” business experience to a company that’s outgrown its current leadership. You’re fighting the “outsider” label while trying to prove you’re worth what they’re paying you.
The Promoted Insider: You worked your way up and now you’re at the top. You know the business inside and out, but stepping from player to leader feels unnatural. Your former peers are now your reports, and everything feels different.
The Successor: You’ve been groomed for this seat. Maybe you’re family, maybe you’re the chosen protégé. Either way, everyone’s watching to see if you’ll live up to expectations or prove the succession plan was a mistake.
What Great Looks Like in the Visionary Seat
A great Visionary:
- Spends more time thinking about next year than next week
- Has three big ideas for every one that gets implemented
- Knows five key customers/partners better than anyone
- Explains the company vision in a way that motivates the team
- Solves the problems that would sink the company if left unsolved
- Protects the culture even when it’s inconvenient
This might feel uncomfortable if you’re used to being in the details. It might feel lazy if you’re used to being the hardest worker. It might feel disconnected if you’re used to being in the trenches.
Good. That discomfort means you’re transitioning into the seat.
Related Reading: The Visionary: A Breakdown of the Role
Your First 90 Days: A Practical Transition Plan
Days 1–30: Listen & Learn
- Meet with every leadership team member individually
- Ask: “What do you need from me as Visionary?”
- Identify the 3–5 key relationships only you can maintain
- Get clear on what the previous leader did that you should stop doing
Days 31–60: Define Your Seat
- Work with your Integrator (or identify who should be Integrator)
- Define your five core accountabilities
- Identify what you’re doing that someone else should do
- Start saying “no” to requests outside your seat
Days 61–90: Establish Your Rhythm
- Block time for thinking and strategy (minimum 20% of your week)
- Set up regular touchpoints with key external relationships
- Create your first 90-day vision for where the company is heading
- Stop attending meetings that don’t require Visionary input
Your Unique Challenge (Based on How You Got Here)
If You’re the Buyer: Your superpower is fresh eyes. You see opportunities the previous owner couldn’t. Your challenge is earning trust while making necessary changes. Focus on quick wins that show you understand the business, then tackle the bigger transformations.
If You’re the PE Operating Partner: Your superpower is experience and resources. You’ve seen what great looks like. Your challenge is balancing speed with buy-in. The playbook is your guide, not your bible. Adapt it to this company’s unique culture and market position.
If You’re the Hired CEO: Your superpower is professional experience. You bring best practices and new perspectives. Your challenge is proving value without disrupting what works. Show them what “better” looks like by example, not mandate.
If You’re the Promoted Insider: Your superpower is relationships and institutional knowledge. People trust you. Your challenge is stepping fully into leadership without staying stuck in your old seat. Make it clear: you’re not just part of the team anymore—you’re leading it.
If You’re the Successor: Your superpower is legacy and expectation. You’ve been chosen to carry the torch, but now you have to make it your own. Your challenge is transforming inherited loyalty into earned leadership. You honor what came before, but you’re here to lead what’s next.
The Permission to Lead Like You
You might feel like you’re not doing enough. Like you should be more involved. Like the team needs you in the weeds. They don’t.
What they need is someone with their eyes on the horizon while they handle today. That’s your job now—not because you’re better than them, but because someone needs to do it, and that someone is you.
This means:
- It’s okay to think instead of do
- It’s okay to say “I don’t know, but I’ll find out”
- It’s okay to let others handle what they’re good at
- It’s okay to focus on tomorrow while others focus on today
- It’s okay to be different from whoever came before
The company doesn’t need another version of the last leader. It needs the Visionary you’re capable of becoming.
Your Choice Point
You can try to be everything to everyone. You can try to lead like your predecessor. You can stay comfortable in the operational work you know well. Or you can step fully into the Visionary seat with all its uncertainty, discomfort, and potential.
The company you inherited or bought is one thing. The company you could lead forward as a true Visionary is something else entirely. But you’ll only build it if you’re willing to become the leader the seat demands. Your team is waiting for their Visionary.
The question is: Are you ready to be that person?
Own Your Visionary Seat with Confidence
Here are your next steps:
- Define your unique value. Consider what you bring that nobody else can.
- Get clear on your seat. Work with your Integrator to clarify your seat.
- Create a 90-day transition plan. Map out how you’ll transition into the seat.
- Find your support system. Connect with Visionaries who’ve made it through.
- Trust the process. Keep in mind that EOS works, but only if you work with it
EOS Academy has tools, templates, and short lessons built exclusively for Visionaries. Create a free account to access resources that can help you make progress as a Visionary, whether new or seasoned.
Thousands of leadership teams use EOS Academy to sharpen how they lead, communicate with their team, and solve problems to gain real traction. It’s a centralized, self-paced hub designed to help you get more of what you want from your business.
