Many of my EOS® clients comment in our sessions that I often use analogies to help them understand and implement EOS concepts. Maybe analogizing well is one of my Unique Abilities!
One challenge that always comes up in an EOS implementation is how to get people in the organization to truly own their Seat on the Accountability Chart. And what does owning a Seat even mean?
Let’s start with the definition of a Seat—it’s simply a major function of the business plus the five most critical roles of that function. The Sales function in a widget company, for example, might include critical roles such as LMA (leading and managing the sales team to accountability), making sales calls, meeting revenue targets, responding to RFPs, and gathering competitive intelligence.
So, if Sally Smith is the owner of the Sales seat, that means she is accountable for everything that happens in the sales function of the company. She will probably delegate quite a bit to her regional sales managers and customer success representatives who report to her, but she is the owner and has the ultimate accountability.
Here’s the Dunkin’ Donuts part: Sally is like the owner of a Dunkin’ franchise. A Dunkin’ owner must make sure the coffee is hot and fresh, the donut display is neat, the staff is well-trained, the line keeps moving, and the bathrooms are clean. If she doesn’t do all those things well, corporate Dunkin’ will eventually take away her franchise.
The same principle applies for Sally’s widget company. Sally does not make every sale or answer every sales inquiry, but if those actions aren’t done well, she won’t own the sales seat for long. And to make sure she shows her team and her management that she GWC’s the seat, she will have to keep the right measurables and Rocks on track throughout the quarter and the year.