I have read a lot of books on leadership and business. When I was in high school, I remember obsessing over John C. Maxwell’s books Developing the Leader Within You and The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. My goal was to be a sponge and soak up as much knowledge as possible. I took notes feverishly. I tried memorizing key points. Granted, as a high schooler, I had limited opportunity to apply what I was learning, but I remember being wowed by the material. Fast forward twenty-plus years, and I hate to disappoint, but I cannot recite the 21 laws. Actually, I do not recall a single irrefutable law.
Franken-System
Leadership and business books help us stay inspired, but they can also be overwhelming. When you learn new stuff, how do you remember and apply it all? If you share it with your team and start trying to apply it in your day-to-day business, will the team embrace or use it? Does it distract from what you already have in place, or worse yet, contradict it? I’ve watched organizations jumble together leadership concepts, best practices and processes from many different sources and implement them individually or pile them on top of each other. When business tools are not designed to work together the system becomes disjointed, inefficient and looks more like a “Franken-System”. These standalone tools bolted together leave gaps and eventually become an ugly, green-faced, mutated creation that fails to deliver sustained performance. I don’t think using a Franken-System is one of the irrefutable laws of leadership.
Entrepreneurial Operating System
EOS® takes a holistic approach. With your unique business as the centerpiece, it’s a complete system that solves performance problems by strengthening Six Key Components™. It addresses complexity by keeping things simple. The tools are designed to work together cohesively. And best of all, it’s proven in the real world. After going through an EOS implementation myself, as a participant before becoming an EOS Implementer, I learned through experience what it can do firsthand. It aligns people on a vision, ensures the organization gains Traction® on that vision, and resolves team dysfunction by creating healthy teams.
I’ll caution, the tools are simple to understand but challenging to master. If you decide to embark on an EOS journey, you should make a two-year mental commitment. That is usually the tipping point for the leadership team to successfully internalize the tools throughout the organization. You won’t have to wait long to start seeing results. In fact, after your very first Focus Day™ session you’ll experience traction as you implement a handful of foundational tools. Within 90 days you’ll complete two Vision Building™ Days that clarify where you’re headed. This serves as a guiding light while you pick up more and more momentum.
Imagine This…
Here is one last thought to consider – imagine the people in your organization rowing in the same direction with discipline and accountability that delivers sustained performance. If you don’t have that across your organization today but it’s where you wish to be within the next couple years, then EOS is for you.