The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) seems like the biggest thing in the business world since the fax machine* depending on who you talk to.
Gino Wickman’s clearly articulated process for managing a business is a must-have on any leader’s bookshelf for its straightforward and solid framework for leading, operating, and growing a business.
*no offense to fax machines.
Where EOS® can help
EOS® is specifically designed for small to mid-sized businesses looking to grow and develop good foundations and processes. If this sounds like you, we suggest putting your goggles on and diving right in (after reading the rest of this article).
Some common complaints that we had prior to implementing EOS® included:
- Ineffective meetings
- Responsibility creep
- Lack of process discipline (lack of processes altogether!)
- More personnel accountability needed
You’re probably asking - “Did you really solve all of these issues for all of time?”
No. Anyone who tells you business will be a breeze after implementing EOS® is selling you something. Life still happens and problems still need to be addressed even if you have the world's best process for running your business.
What we have seen with EOS®
The above paragraph notwithstanding, we love EOS® and what it has brought to our team (and no, we’re not trying to sell you something).
When we started out, we were fortunate to have a lot of good people on staff who wanted to excel and had the skill sets we needed. The key for us was using the EOS® Accountability Chart and People Analyzer to clearly define roles and responsibilities for everyone on our team - and giving them clear and tangible authority over their scope of work.
Next came the revamp of how we measure success and structure team meetings. Aligning meetings around our vision and problem-solving, while still making time to be real human beings who have fun and want to share good news, is one of the coolest things about Leadership Team Meetings using EOS®.
And now with each meeting we have, and each scorecard we review, we truly feel like we are gaining what EOS® calls “traction.”
How to get started with EOS® (the completely unofficial, self-starter way)
Based on our experience running EOS® and supporting our friends who are trying to get it implemented, we’ve had a lot of success with this process:
- Read Traction (listening on Audible counts!)
- Talk to a friend who is currently using EOS® in their business
- Re-read Traction while taking notes and building your plan
- Start implementing with the understanding that it won’t be perfect
- Keep going
We’ve heard great and not-so-great stories about various EOS® Implementers, so do your homework and budget accordingly if you decide to go down that path. If you do hire an implementer, remember that you are probably the person who knows and cares about your business more than anyone else. You’re going to need to trust the process, and also be prepared to make difficult decisions.
Looking for more resources?
There are plenty of great blogs and books written about the EOS®/Traction journey. Most are great, but some are a little repetitive to what you might have read elsewhere.
Need a friend to talk to?
We’d love to talk about your business! Whether you want to go all-in on EOS®, or just need some advice on how to increase sales or deal with tough situations, we’re happy to be your unbiased, marketing-minded, support system.
With more than 10 years of agency experience, Jenny has had the privilege of working with a large variety of brands. She loves partnering with other business owners and entrepreneurs, and specializes in brand development. From digital marketing to online course creation, Jenny’s knowledge and skillset has prepared her to be a successful creative director.
