We see EOS® have its most profound impact in businesses that have hit a ceiling.
The Myth of Uninterrupted Growth
Most business owners want consistent growth and steady profitability. But the reality? Very few businesses grow in a straight line. Growth is rarely smooth, and hitting a ceiling is not the exception—it’s the norm. If it hasn’t happened in your business yet, it almost certainly will. And if you’re in the game long enough (it’s happened to me multiple times in 37 years), you’ll hit it more than once.
What Does “Hitting the Ceiling” Really Mean?
The best way I’ve heard it described is: What got us here won’t get us there. You’ve been doing the right things to grow up to this point—but suddenly, they stop working. Progress stalls. Frustration creeps in. You’re still working hard, but you’re not moving forward.
Why Do Businesses Hit the Ceiling?
Something has changed. Sometimes it’s internal—your team is maxed out, your structure doesn’t scale, or your processes aren’t built for the next stage. Sometimes it’s external—market conditions shift, a competitor raises the bar, or you’re facing headwinds from political, economic, or technological change (think PESTLE: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental).
Whatever the cause, the result is the same: what used to work doesn’t anymore.
How to Break Through
One of the first things we introduce on the EOS journey is the concept of the 5 Leadership Abilities™:
- Simplify
- Delegate
- Predict
- Systemise
- Structure
I used to wonder why we don’t keep coming back to these five abilities in every session. But the truth is, when you commit to using the EOS tools consistently, you naturally develop and strengthen each one over time.
One of my favourite things about EOS is this: We don’t waste time teaching you a new way to think—we give you tools. And by using those tools, you start to think (and act) differently.
That’s why EOS is so effective. It’s not a one-off training event where you forget 95% of it six months later. It’s a system you live and work with. You keep improving until you break through the ceiling—and then keep getting stronger for the next one.