Every session with one of our Leadership Teams starts with what we call the “Check In,” which generally consists of several questions that help us transition from working “in” our business to working “on” our business. One question is always, “What are your expectations for today?”
I check in after each member of the Leadership Team is done. And my ongoing expectation is always “Please be open and honest — just say it.” And this is one of the most difficult behaviors for a Leadership Team to exhibit — for lots of reasons.
Generally those reasons are along the lines of being fearful of what their honesty will unleash; not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings; unsure how to articulate the issue or concern; not wanting to start an argument; or not wanting to generate a discussion in the presence of the entire team.
But not being open and honest limits our ability to solve the long-standing issues in our companies. You’ve seen them — the elephant standing in the corner — the gremlin under the desk that you hope won’t raise its ugly head today because you’re too busy to deal with it.
EOS® Implementers are fanatical about banishing the elephants and the gremlins. We take a risk and walk into the potential conflict. Yes, you read that correctly — we enter the danger.
We are comfortable with conflict for several reasons:
- it creates healthy, functional teams that do not allow issues to disrupt their work
- we call out conflict when we see eyes roll or people studying their shoes
- we don’t always know the outcome or have the answer, but our clients do, and we help them discover the answer
I have had numerous “aha” moments watching my clients learn to use conflict to their advantage to escort the elephants out of the building. Entering the danger is always done with great respect, never accusatory, and always designed to help every team member become his or her best.
Being open and honest in the midst of conflict is one of the strategies discussed in the book, “Traction,” written by EOS® Founder Gino Wickman. “Traction” identifies the Six Key Components™ that help implement EOS® in a company.
If you think EOS® might be the answer you are looking for, I highly recommend you read the book. Because I feel so strongly about the impact EOS® can have on a company, I am providing a free download of Chapter 1 here. Chapter 1 includes the table of contents and the introduction, so you can gain a solid overview of what the book covers.
As a former business owner whose business found its way with EOS®, I’m a firm believer in the process, and welcome the opportunity to tell you about my experience. If you’d like to learn more about EOS®, please fill out the consult form below to request a free, 15-minute phone consultation with me. There is no pressure to continue after our call. But I am excited to talk with you about EOS®, and how you can enter the danger, face conflict, and have a stronger company because of it.
Let’s schedule a time to talk today.
