What is a business operating system, and why might you need one?

I'm not talking about software here, but rather a set of cohesive rules, processes, and systems to ensure your business operates in a consistent, scalable, and transparent manner to deliver predicable results, as well as handle "surprises" as they eventuate.

Let me explain this a bit more - I've been working in the IT industry for...well...a VERY long time. And over this time period I've been introduced to many businesses, as well as many operating systems (the software kind).

Stick with me here for a moment - it'll make sense, or I owe you a beer.

A computer operating system (OS) provides the foundational rules and functions for how the computer itself behaves. There's the kernel which operates at the deepest level of the OS and provides not only the core of how things operate, but also needs to be protected at all costs to ensure confidence in how the system runs - think of this like the leadership team of an entrepreneurial business. The leadership team need to have deep trust in each other, hold each other accountable, and know that all members have each other's backs. It also needs to get the signals it needs from the hardware and higher-level software operations to know if everything is working as it should be.

Computer programs (the applications the computer users interact with) are like the front-line workers of the operating system - they are the customer service team, accounts team, sales team, packing and shipping team - OK you get the picture. As these programs run they may call on higher level functions (think of managers), or even the kernel for certain information, or access to particular resources, in order to do their job. As this happens the kernel is being protected by the managers and members of the kernel so the overall integrity of the organisation remains secure.

You've probably experienced the "Blue Screen of Death" on a computer - this is when something goes so magnificently wrong the computer shuts itself down in order to protect its integrity, and to the standard passer by this just looks like a problem, however the IT people (including me) want to know the secret code words displayed on the screen so we can work out what went wrong and how to hopefully prevent it happening again in the future.

One of the key ones we see is an error code of 0xC000005 which is called an "Access Violation", which basically means something has tried to access a resource (typically memory) which it shouldn't have access to, so as a protective measure the computer shuts itself down to prevent this from happening. It's like the slap on the wrist your Grandma gave you when you, as a kid, went to reach for the jelly tartlet before you'd eaten your vegetables - she's only trying to protect you (and the tartlets!). Or it's your manager pulling you aside and giving you some advice when she saw you taking an action which was not in line with the company values. (I just realised I crossed Marvel universes there!)

Coming back to the business operating system, we need systems in business to ensure the business operates safely, consistently, with a well-protected kernel/leadership team. This includes clarity of where we are headed as a business (our vision) and who is going to take us there (our corporate values and the people who align with these values), how we're going measure our performance along the way (our scorecard and key measurables), handling issues as they arise (our issue solving process), how we're going to execute the key required functions as we head there (our processes), and ensuring we know we're headed in the right direction at the right rate (our traction and execution).

Well guess what, there DOES exist an operating system which any entrepreneurial business can use to deliver success - it's called the Entrepreneurial Operating System (aka EOS) and IT WORKS! I have used this in my own IT business for more than 7 years and it's delivered the kind of safety, security, predictability, and operational excellence any business could want. It's like a fresh new installation of Windows on a brand-new computer - operating at high speed and flawlessly, delivering predictable and consistent results.

This is what the EOS Model? looks like:

This is like the Victor Kiam commercials about the Remington electric shaver - he liked it so much he bought the company (go find him on YouTube then come back here). For me, I believe in the power of EOS so much I now want to help others implement it in their own businesses because I LOVE growing people, enabling and equipping them to achieve their greatest potential.

If you want to know how to implement this outstanding operating system into your business then perhaps we should talk. But be careful - I don't want to work with just anyone.

If you're only playing Candy Crush let's not waste our time.