Traction

I was pointed toward a book about visionaries and the integrators that empower them which I loved, called Rocket Fuel.  That book led me to this one.  This book provides the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) that creates the foundation for the visionary and integrator to run their business.

Highlights from the book by Gino Wickman

Six Key Components

Focusing on these key components provides clarity to the critical aspects of business.

1.         Vision – A compelling, clear vision for everyone on the team to know where to row.  The more clearly everyone can see your vision, the likelier you are to achieve it.  Focus everyone’s energy toward one thing and amazing results will follow.
2.        People – The right people need to be in the right seats.  Organizing your business structure the right way as well as clearly defining roles and responsibilities is critical.  Then making sure the right people are in the right seats is essential.
3.        Data – A simple scorecard with 15 high-level numbers allows you to monitor your business no matter where you are with clear visibility.  Everyone should be responsible for one number on a regular basis.
4.        Issues – As transparency is created by strengthening the vision, people, and data, issues will be seen.  The ability to compartmentalize and prioritize issues as well as identifying, discussing them honestly, and eradicating them is critical. 
5.        Process – The way you do business is often the most neglected component.  Every process needs to be documented the way you want things done.  People need to know what processes to follow and why.  Identify, address, and document each core process. 
6.         Traction – In the end the most successful business leaders are the ones with traction, however this is typically most organizations’ weakest link.  Executing well, and knowing how to bring focus, accountability, and discipline to the organization is key. 

In summary, successful businesses operate with a crystal clear vision that is shared by everyone.  They have the right people in the right seats.  They have a pulse on their operations by watching and managing a handful of numbers on a weekly basis.  They identify and solve issues promptly in an open and honest environment.  They document their processes and ensure that they are followed by everyone.  They establish priorities for each employee and ensure that a high level of trust, communication, and accountability exits on each team.

Four Fundamental Beliefs

• You must build and maintain a true leadership team.
• Each leader takes initiative over respective departments.
• All agree to remain open and honest about all issues, take responsibility for problems in the organization, and be willing to fight for what is best for the company as a whole.
• Give clear expectations and instill a system for effective communication and accountability. 
• Get the right people in the right seats and let them run with it.  Select these people wisely. 
• Provide a united front to the rest of the organization, and work together to maintain a cohesiveness as a team.  One unified answer, work together to parent everyone to greatness. 

• Hitting the ceiling is inevitable.
• You can only run your business on one operating system.
• You must be open-minded, growth-oriented, and vulnerable.

Exercises Chapter 1

1.         I reorganized my folders of my documents in my computer into the same 6 categories described above.  I had a ton of docs everywhere so spent an hour pulling from various sources and saving them into my Office365 sync’d folder (so that I can access them from any device).   That way I can access them online and have everything more sorted in my head. 
2.        I took the Organization Checkup quiz http://www.eosworldwide.com/checkup. It provides a score for your organizatino and recommended next steps.

[To be continued... will build this out as I keep reading the book] :)