Some companies feel overwhelmed by the changes in mindset and behaviors they need to make by committing to run on EOS.
And so, they stop.
I’ve been asked the same question by a few business owners: Is there such a thing as “EOS lite”? Basically, they are asking “can we just use parts of EOS but not others?” The official answer is no.
But why do they ask this question in the first place?
Because the system, while simple, isn’t easy.
No Magic Pill
Gino Wickman’s book, Traction: Get a Grip on your Business is still one of the country’s best-selling business books since its publishing in 2007. Since then, thousands of leadership teams have chosen to run their business on his Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS®).
They use it because they’ve not making the progress they think they should. Or the leadership team isn’t on the same page. Or one of several other frustrations that all add up to the feeling of being “stuck in place.”
Despite all its virtues, for every business that successfully adopts EOS®, there are two who want to – or have tried – but abandoned it. They learn that EOS® is not a magic pill.
EOS® requires faith that all the up-front work will be worth it. And not all leaders have the faith, patience and tolerance for change needed to break through the ceiling and methodically follow EOS®. They get discouraged when small victories aren’t enough to keep them going.
In short order, weekly meetings become monthly meetings. Scorecards fall by the wayside. Issues don’t get solved and keep coming back. They become convinced that following EOS® isn’t worth the effort. Inevitably, they’re right back where they started – stuck in the loop of not meeting goals, not solving problems and working harder than ever but not getting to where they want to go.
More frustrated than ever.
So what can you do? Roll up our sleeves
So, what do I tell those that ask about EOS®? I say, let’s roll up our sleeves and make the process work for you. The results will come.
And we ARE going to use the system. The whole system.
The EOS® framework, its tools and processes, are proven. They even work for leaders who are concerned about implementation in their business.
Thoughts to consider
If you’re a business owner or leader who believes in EOS® but is concerned about adoption, do not be deterred. The EOS® framework, its tools and processes, are proven.
They even work for leaders who are concerned about implementation in their business.
These are some suggestions to keep in mind along your journey:
- Begin with the mindset that you are going to implement the whole EOS® system. Remember that you will gain greater control of your business and the system it runs on.
- Commit to learning all of the EOS® foundational concepts and tools so you’ll come to recognize what’s working and not working for you. That begins on day 1, the Focus Day.
- Take the V/TO (Vision/Traction Organizer®) you build during your Vision Building Days very seriously. This puts your passion on paper and defines what success looks like – reminding you every day of why you do what you do.
- Early on, find, define and focus short-term wins. They should become a part of your first Rocks list. Nothing will be more motivating than finding success as quickly as possible.
- Your weekly Level 10s can be used to uncover the issues for why you think your EOS® is not working.
- Take some of the mental pressure off by not striving for perfection. Keep in mind that you’re just getting started and over time will get better. Look at each tool…where could you allow yourself some latitude?
If you think you might want to “customize” your EOS® implementation, we strongly urge you to work with an Implementer, at least to onboard your team to the pure process.
Feel free to Talk with us about making EOS® work for your business. Dave Borland and I (his humble colleague Steve Banis) have built and run businesses, small and large, for 25+ years each. We’ve seen the process work in many different situations, including EOS implementation TM in our own business.
About Grow Exceptional
Grow Exceptional works with leadership teams to help get their businesses “unstuck” by implementing and teaching the widely adopted Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS®).