We’ve all heard the phrase “Hire slowly and Fire fast,” but most companies do the exact opposite. We're quick to hire people because we have a need and we want someone in that seat, now! When people aren’t working out though, we kick the can down the road. Fingers crossed, we plod forward trying to grow our companies with the wrong people.

At EOS we teach that you can’t build a business on multiple operating systems with multiple languages. Your language must be intentional and conscious. When you use consistent language on a daily basis with your team, it reinforces your company culture and helps your team to bond. 

Pressure is often seen by employees and managers as negative. But what if it isn’t?  What if people thrive on pressure? 

High performance demands a certain amount of pressure. Imagine you’re training for a 10K race. If you put no pressure on yourself, you don’t train, you don’t hire a coach or plan your calendar to prepare for the race, you will undoubtedly perform poorly. Conversely, if you put too much pressure on yourself, over-train and stress out, perhaps injuring yourself, you may not show up at the starting line. 

Last weekend I took my 13 year-old daughter on a father-daughter trip. For the weekend I made a commitment to myself to turn off and not check my devices (phone, tablet, etc.), and asked my daughter to do the same. It was hard for both of us on the first day but by the end of the weekend, we saw a 180 degree change in the depth of our conversations to a type we’ve never previously had. We were truly being present with each other and it showed.

At EOS we coach leadership teams to be open and honest with each other. This means they should be solving business issues without blame and finger-pointing. Proposed solutions to issues should be agenda-free. Leadership teams should have a united front and strive to eliminate politics from the culture. In other words, it’s about having a healthy, functional, cohesive team.