Implementer Posts
Finding Comfort in Our Habits
Dogs are creatures of habit. They like routines. In our house, the highlight of my dogs’ morning, other than breakfast, is going to see the chickens. But before that happens, they have to wait on me. After getting up, I work out. The dogs will lie on their beds, patiently waiting for me to finish. If Marlee, my 11-year-old lab, feels the workout has gone on a little too long, he will come up and start licking me or lie down on my mat. After my workout, I shower, get dressed, and head down the stairs. JacX will run down the steps ahead, announcing her excitement to all within earshot. This daily trip includes throwing the ball for Marlee as JacX chases after him with a training bumper in her mouth. We work our way up the garden trail, through the woods, and into the front field for more ball
Harness The Power of Traction® in Your Business with EOS®
“We know what we need to do. We just can’t seem to get it done.” This is a common lament from leaders of companies I work with, and I understand their frustration. Before Running on EOS™, I led a team of 650 people who all worked hard but often failed to produce results. We had talent. We had a clear vision. What we lacked was discipline and accountability to create traction. Then I learned something about business execution: Having talent and a great vision isn’t enough—you need the tools to get there. Even the best strategy fails without proper execution and a clear focus on priorities. The Real Cost of Unclear Priorities A strong vision helps a team understand the organization’s goals. Leaders bring this to life by painting a clear picture of where the company is going and how they’re going to get there. Daily activities should inch the
Stop Babysitting & Start Leading: How EOS® Builds a Business that Doesn’t Rely On You
In many businesses, where deadlines can be tight, margins are thin and coordination is everything, the cost of babysitting your business instead of leading it can be massive. This is for all you business owners, but let’s just look at a specific industry as a great example. Imagine you own a commercial construction company… You’re running multiple job sites, juggling subcontractors and dealing with material delivery delays. Instead of leaning on your project managers or superintendents to resolve the issues, you step in personally—calling vendors, coordinating schedules and fielding complaints from clients. What started as one missed deadline quickly compounds into thousands in liquidated damages, angry clients and a backlog of change orders that nobody had time to document properly. And while you were buried in site-level firefighting, estimating fell behind, new bids didn’t go out and your team started wondering if you trust them at all. This is what
Trust but Verify – A Scorecard That Gives You a Pulse on Your Business
About four years ago, I began working with a company, helping them to implement EOS. The business owner/ entrepreneur had been successfully leading the day-to-day operations for over a decade. As the company grew, he recognized the need to step back and elevate his role—focusing more on vision, big relationships, and long-term strategy. During the EOS process, we introduced the concept of the Visionary and Integrator. The Visionary is the big-picture thinker, while the Integrator manages the day-to-day, keeps the team aligned, and drives execution. About six months into the implementation, the Visionary hired a capable finance leader, and together, they decided this person could step into the Integrator role. For several years, it appeared to work. The Visionary stepped back, and the Integrator took the reins. They grew from 1 to 3 locations, revenues were up and they had some very profitable years. But three years in, it became
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CAN FEEL LONELY – BUT YOU’RE NOT ALONE
In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, the drive to succeed and not fail often overshadows our work-life balance. We pour everything into building success, but too often, that comes at the expense of our own wellbeing. As you go through the daily grind you start feeling stuck. Money is tight. Big projects are coming up, and the pressure is overwhelming. Your natural reaction is to dig in, just pull away and figure this all out on your own. You think once the storm passes, then I’ll show my face. But that’s the mistake. Don’t isolate yourself. Studies show over 88% of entrepreneurs struggle with anxiety, burnout or loneliness and isolation. Entrepreneurship can feel lonely, but you are not alone. It’s okay not to have all the answers. No one expects you to. But if you pull back and cut yourself off from the very people who can help you through
Rethink, Rebuild, Refocus: How EOS® and First Principles Thinking Grows You to the Next Stage
As an EOS Implementer, I’ve implemented well over 400+ session days with leadership teams. And there’s a phrase I hear more often than any of us would like to admit: This is just how we’ve always done it. Sometimes it’s about a pricing model. Sometimes it’s a clunky hiring process. Sometimes it’s about the owner running weekly meetings they don’t need to attend. And every time, it’s a symptom of a deeper issue: the business has been built on assumptions—not intentional design. That’s where First Principles Thinking comes in. And when you combine it with the tools of EOS®, you get a powerful way to rethink how your business operates, clarify your direction and gain back control. What is First Principles Thinking? At its core, First Principles Thinking is the practice of breaking down a problem or system into its most basic, fundamental truths—then rebuilding it from scratch based on