When I work with a new client, part of the start-up phase of EOS is helping the team build out their Vision. In two one-day sessions spanned thirty days apart, I facilitate them to answer the Eight Questions that together comprise the vision of where they are going AND how they will get there. One of the most powerful parts of Vision Building (and one of my favorite parts of EOS to facilitate) is helping the team see their Three-Year Picture. The Three-Year Picture answers the question “what will this business look and feel like three years from now?” It begins by making predictions about where the business will be in terms of Revenue, Profitability, and key Measurables. After that comes my favorite part: helping the team create the picture of what it will look and feel like. The team agrees on 5 to 15 bullets that together paint a

Earlier in my career I had some opportunity to deal in the complex world of buying and selling businesses. One of the things I learned is that many business owners have an inaccurate perspective on the value of their businesses (and not on the low side). The time to start thinking about your business’ valuation is not when you are ready to sell, it is years ahead of time. What are the factors that drive valuation? Occasionally it is some sort of protected Intellectual Property that is of such value to some deep-pocketed strategic buyer that they are willing to pay almost anything to acquire it. If that describes your business, congratulations! But chances are, it’s doesn’t. Most businesses are valued based upon the cash they can generate (a function of profitability and growth), offset by the risk factors that could lead the business to underperform expectations. So if you

As a leader in a fast growing entrepreneurial business, it can feel hectic at the best of times!  And so, if you’re in overdrive when you get to your L10 meeting, it is tempting to rush through the Segue part of the agenda, to get into your Measurables, ROCKS, completed to-do’s, and all those Issues. However, the magic of the Level 10 meeting is that it gives you the opportunity to pause, connect with your peers, and work ‘on the business’.  By following the steps of the Segue and ‘Good News’ practice, you can shift your mindset, and get your energy focused on what matters most. ‘One piece of personal good news’  Your work is only a small part of who you are, and while you may spend much of your waking hours focused on your ‘Seat’ in the business, there is so much more to your whole-self; your health,

During Vision Building in EOS, we answer eight questions that together define your company’s vision.  One of those eight questions is “What is your Marketing Strategy?” In EOS, the Marketing Strategy defines your Target Market (your “Ideal Customer”) and the Message you want to deliver every time you make contact with them. I often get two questions when I talk about the Marketing Strategy. The first question I often hear (usually asked by the person in the Marketing seat) is “Does this replace a detailed Marketing Plan?” The answer is No. You still need to have tactics, personas, roadmaps, campaigns, milestones and all the other things that are needed to attract prospects to you. But the Marketing Strategy provides guidelines. Once we define our Target Market and the Message you want to deliver to them, many of the decisions about the Marketing Plan become much easier. That gives your Marketing

General Motors CEO Charles Wilson was quoted as saying “what was good for the country was good for General Motors and vice versa”.  As one of the nation’s largest employers in one of our largest industries, there is a good argument that Wilson was right – most of the time. But probably not all the time. In a recent blog, I talked about two things that are table stakes for anyone to have a seat at the Leadership Team table. One of those is that the Leadership Team is their “primary team”. You see, most top business leaders are on two teams. One is the Leadership Team, the other is the department or division they lead. It is common for strong leaders to have tremendous loyalty to the teams they lead. Sometimes they feel they have to fight for what their team wants, often justifying it by paraphrasing Charles Wilson:

What if everyone in your organization spent all their time doing what they love to do and what they are great at? How could you possibly NOT succeed? In EOS, we define a company’s vision by answering 8 questions. One of these questions is “What is your Core Focus?” A company’s Core Focus is it’s sweet spot. I like to explain it with the analogy of a golf club. The sweet spot of a golf club is where you get the most distance, power and accuracy with the least amount of effort. Your company has a sweet spot too and it works just the same. Most companies intuitively understand this…there are certain things they do that are almost effortless. Every time they do these things, customers are delighted. On the other hand, there are also certain things that they just can’t seem to get right. Now matter how hard they