The Fundamentals of EOS Rollout

Buzzword phrase of the day: change management.

When leaders want to roll out, well anything, to the entire organization they have to manage the change. (Thank you, Captain Obvious!) It doesn’t matter what the change is: using a new payroll system, changing the PTO policy, or introducing a new leader.

To make a successful roll out of something as all-encompassing as EOS in an organization, leaders have to manage the change intentionally.

This month we cover the fundamentals of rolling out EOS in your company.

Understand that Change in Hard

Humans are creatures of habit. Anytime leadership wants to introduce a change, they face a whole host of background feelings, usually rooted in fear. People’s minds will immediately start going to dark places like “Am I going to lose my job?”

Leaders have to help their people get through that “scary” part of any change, especially in the beginning. There are three important steps leaders can take to help their people move through the changes that come with running on EOS.

1. Communication: how is the message being delivered
2. Listening: how are they receiving feedback
3. Space: how are they giving everybody the space to adopt the change

Because change is hard, I encourage leaders to be vulnerable with their teams. Share the why, name all the problems in the business (your people already know the truth anyway), and explain how you plan to fix it.

Early adopters will move quickly to accept and implement. Fact finders may need more time to absorb information. Expect different levels of acceptance. Most importantly, make space for people to ask questions and share their concerns openly.

 Look for the Helpers

On absolutely every team, there are early adopters who will see the value in the change and want it. Rather than focusing on the “lowest common denominator,” I suggest leaders focus on the early adopters and let them do the work of bringing their teammates with them.

You can recognize the “helpers” in your organization by looking for the person who asks lots of questions and look for ways to improve the team. Sometimes, I’ll even have a “pre-meeting” with these helpers to explain their importance in the roll out. Make them your “plant in the audience” as you roll this out to the rest of the staff.

Bring the Energy

EOS was never meant for just the leadership team. For an organization to fully reap the benefits of running on EOS, the Five Fundamental Tools should make their way to everyone, right down to the part-time and third shift people.

Running on EOS is a lifestyle change. You can never just set it and forget it. Too many times leaders treat EOS like a New Years Resolution. If six months pass and the energy fades, so will the results.

Your people are always watching. When you roll out EOS to your organization, the leadership team should have a united front and fully commit. So bring the energy to the conversation!

You have to constantly beat the drum and keep up the energy until your people see and feel it for themselves.