Over the last few months, about 80% of my clients have conducted their two-day Annual Planning Sessions. These powerful, jam-packed sessions always help a leadership team go deep - to celebrate the successes of the prior year, identify issues that don't always come out during more routine sessions and meetings, and to increase team health.
During this year’s busy Annual Planning season, one of my clients was moved to tears while reflecting on the past year. He was recounting a “personal great”, and filled with pride for his daughter while sharing a few of her significant accomplishments. He struggled to finish the story, and ultimately needed to take a short break to compose himself. Throughout this touching, heartfelt moment, he kept apologizing to his team for being so emotional.
Those familiar with EOS know that an Accountability Chart crystallizes roles and responsibilities for everyone in the organization. It’s built by focusing first on the right structure for the organization – identifying the major functions (seats) necessary to execute on the company’s vision over the next 6-12 months and then carefully defining the five roles the owner of each seat must obsess about every day to be successful. Only then can you focus on getting the right people in the right seats. It’s a simple tool that clearly defines the things for which every single person in the organization is accountable.
This is a phrase professional EOS Implementers use frequently. It helps leaders keep things in perspective, avoid unnecessary drama, and focus on resolving Issues (rather than lamenting their inevitable existence). The following story reminded me just how important that discipline is…in business and in life.
