9 Things I’ve Learned After 90 days of EOS

If you’ve been following me for some time, you know I nerd out over systems and processes. Where can we systemise something, we do. Documenting what we do and how we do it helps with efficiency and consistency of service. But earlier this year, we made a breakthrough that transformed our business – implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).

It started as a meeting framework, but expanded into how we solve problems, and hire talent that fits our culture. Here are the 9 lessons from 90 days of EOS.

1. Meetings need agendas

Our meetings used to be long and undirected. Now, they’re productive and fun, with the Level 10 Meeting Agenda.

2. To-do items need a next step

Action items need to be discussed, documented, assigned a person and a deadline. These to-dos are added to the agenda in the next meeting, rather than forgotten about / not checked off.

3. Centralising issues list helps prioritise solutions

By putting all of our issues (big and small) in one central dashboard, we can decide which is most pressing to solve. This empowers employees and unifies departments, coalescing around a shared purpose.

4. Data drives action (the scorecard)

By tracking KPIs (previously agreed upon), we can review progress and discuss issues/actions. Data helps us revise or achieve our targets, and iterate if we need to. Connecting the granular with the grandeur helps us achieve daily doing and long-term goals.

5. The importance of setting up the new quarter

It’s just as important to review where we’ve come from and where we’re going. To celebrate the wins and position ourselves to achieve the next milestones.

6. ‘Right people, right seats’ can make or break the business

Having the right people that have shared values, sitting in the right seats (roles), has helped me navigate personnel decisions better as a leader.

It’s simple, but not easy to execute:

• Right people: Are they a vision and values match?
• Right seats: Do they get the role? Do they want the role? Do they have capacity for the role?

7. Organisational chart for clarity

How many businesses create (and iterate) an organisational chart? Not many, if any. It’s not just a throwaway business plan, but rather a visual map of the organisation, its roles, and the people who sit within each seat. As the business and people change, keeping an up to date organisational/accountability chart ensures all tasks are being met, there’s minimal overlap, and clarity of responsibilities.

8. Built on foundation of team trust

You have to have the right people to roll out EOS. The team trusted my leadership instinct that this was something that could transform the business. Even if they were unsure or didn’t feel the operational pain as much as we did as a leadership team, they embraced it with heads and hearts open.

9. We never really ‘arrive’

We’ll never fully complete the EOS model, because the conditions are always changing. There’s always elements to add or adjust in each quadrant (Vision, Data, Process, Traction, Issues, People).

That’s the thrilling part about business. It’s ever-changing and the journey never ends. For any EOS questions or curiosities, my inbox is always open.

If you found this article useful, subscribe here to receive our Nitschke letters. Every week, we share real estate insights, commentary, and actionable advice in the #Adelaide Hills.