One of the biggest, most common reasons we entrepreneurs get into business for ourselves is to be more present with our kids or have more freedom to take family trips, or to be more intentional with the ones we love. And yet, we don’t communicate with our families in a very intentional way most of the time — especially compared to the way we communicate in an EOS®-run business. That’s what it was like for me, too. I would come home after a full day of meeting with leadership teams, have dinner, and get the kids to bed. Then there were always several things that my wife, Jill, would want to run by me or something we had to make a decision on. We were always wiped out and didn’t want to be thinking about that stuff, and yet we would still make decisions — often, while frustrating one another.

I set an expectation for every client in every session to be open and honest. But it’s challenging — sometimes, nearly impossible — for most people to be truly open and honest. Especially with other leaders in the room. In his book The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni spells out that at the root of team health is vulnerability-based trust. Without vulnerability among the leaders at the table — meaning the willingness to admit 1) I’ve made a mistake 2) I don’t know what to do 3) I need help — producing good results for the company becomes exponentially harder and more time consuming. The people around the table need to not only be willing to practice vulnerability, but to do it IN THE MOMENT — not hours or days later. Side note: if you find yourself having a sidebar conversation after the fact about something that happened in the

This year turned the world upside down and brought it to a standstill. Everything came to a stop in March of 2020 here in Michigan, and in many other places around the country and the world. Every business leader faced an unprecedented challenge that was on no one’s contingency plan or SWOT analysis. For some, the coronavirus was a matter of survival. For others, it was an opportune time to take a step back, reflect, and find a path forward to thrive on new opportunities. How do effective business leaders respond to COVID-19 in the way they live their lives? I’ve learned more than I can say from my clients and my coaches alike. From these superstars, I adopted a set of best practices to keep myself sharp mentally, emotionally, and physically. Here are the top 10 habits I’ve relied on to survive and thrive in 2020. 10 Ways to

The world was turned upside down in 2020 and brought to a standstill practically overnight. How did it affect your leadership team? No matter how your business was impacted, COVID-19 introduced an unprecedented challenge. For some, it was a matter of survival. For others, it created an opportunity to take a step back, be still, reflect, and determine a new path forward. Like it or not, 2020 is a year of surrendering to what is. Surrendering doesn’t mean giving in, or enjoying the situation — it means accepting the reality that is in front of us. Only when we accept our situation can we move forward and find ways to thrive. If we resist the situation, clinging to past ideals of normalcy, the circumstance owns us and it will consume us — our thoughts, emotions, and wellbeing. Handpicked related content: How EOS® Keeps Companies Strong During Challenging Times Build Your Shelter

The season of Annual Planning Sessions with my clients has just wrapped up, and I’ve noticed an interesting trend. Some teams did well, but their numbers fell short of their goals, while other teams had a phenomenal 2020. Considering the disruptions that were thrown at businesses in the last year, it was no surprise to see some of my clients fall a little short of their goals. In fact, they have a lot to celebrate. But what was really interesting was noticing which teams saw the best accomplishments this year. The difference between the two types of results came down to the mindset of the leadership team — in particular, the EOS Visionary™. Find greater success in 2021: 10 Powerful Habits for Business Leaders to Tackle in 2021 Humble Beginnings The Visionary of one company took over the family business a few years ago, as a second-generation owner. He was very