As a Certified EOS® Implementer, I am invited and welcomed into companies to help them get what they want from their business by implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System®. This is not an invitation I take lightly. In my work with Leadership Teams, I have the honor of meeting and working with a wide range of teams. All of them are incredibly intelligent and passionate about their companies.
As we progress through the EOS® journey, I have an opportunity to watch their interactions; see who they truly are; understand where there may be mistrust; tension that may be obvious or lying just below the surface; which team member(s) are open and honest; and which ones practice their intentions.
When we get to their annual planning session, one of the agenda items is to begin working on team health in a structured way. We use a number of trust building exercises; however, the one exercise that generates the most enthusiasm is called the “One Thing.” There are two parts to the exercise:
Part 1 – Your greatest contribution/trait to the team and organization, and
Part 2 – One thing to start or stop doing for the good of the team
We give the team a few minutes to think about what they would like to tell each member of the Leadership Team regarding the person’s greatest contribution and the one thing they would like that person to start or stop doing. When they begin sharing the answers, the person can ask clarifying questions only to ensure they fully understand the comments.
At the conclusion of the exercise we ask each team member to select and verbally commit to the one thing they will either start or stop doing from the list of comments they received from their colleagues. And then we measure their progress in our quarterly sessions with feedback from each team member – “better”, “worse”, or “same”. We do this rapid fire and with no discussion.
This exercise is frequently team members’ “aha” moment from our two days together. They value the feedback they received from their colleagues, during breaks they talk about how they will start or stop doing their “One Thing” — the enthusiasm is palpable. This exercise goes a long way to building a healthy Leadership Team.
EOS® founder, Gino Wickman, wrote a book called “Traction” that describes how to implement the EOS® process and build a healthy Leadership Team. I’d like to offer you chapter one of “Traction” as a free download. The book explains EOS®’s Six Key Components™, and how the many team building exercises such as the ‘One Thing’ can help you reach your goals. The first chapter, table of contents, and introduction will demonstrate the value of reading the book in its entirety.
If you’d like to learn more about the EOS® process, please fill out the form below to request a free, 15-minute phone consultation with me. There is no obligation to move forward after our call. My goal is to help you understand your business’s strengths and challenges, and give you options on how to move forward more effectively. Together we can determine if EOS® is right for your company.
