Some leaders and managers have been tempted to deviate from the 5-minute rock review we teach in the weekly Level 10 Meeting™, desiring something more detailed than a simple, on track/off track, report. The concern that team members are inappropriately reporting rocks to be on track when they are not has lead some teams to create elaborate “rock crushing systems” that include breaking rocks down into smaller action steps, plotting those steps out across a timeline, tracking completion of those steps and reporting the progress in weekly meetings.

One of the most vivid images from my childhood is my Grandmother Bessie’s walk-in shoe closet. What a sight to behold! Every shoe in perfect order by color, heel size, and use (fancy vs. day-to-day). 

I can only imagine the time she must have spent getting and keeping that closet in such order. Making sure every shoe was in its correct place, ready to serve its specific purpose. She got rid of shoes that no longer fit or weren’t adding value, and was always able to pair outfits with perfectly coordinated shoes.

She took the time to structure her closet and its contents properly, periodically checking to make sure it was organized the best it could be. It’s the same with your business.

Tool (noun): “An instrument…used in performing a task necessary in the practice of a vocation.”

For most people, that definition may evoke the image of a carpenter using a hammer, a quilter using a needle and thread, or an electrician using a pair of needle-nose pliers. All simple and practical tools are used by people with varying levels of skill and experience to build, or fix, or create something.

Some teams hit an emotional wall after their first year of implementing EOS®. Teams that begin with many large issues to resolve, can make significant progress in the first year and, because of what is still left to accomplish, feel unsatisfied and a bit discouraged. It’s not unlike the marathoner who, after completing 10 miles, realizes there are still 16 miles to go. If you are feeling a bit exhausted from the first 10, the prospect of running the final 16 can feel overwhelming. Dan Sullivan calls it “the gap” between where we are and where we want to be.

Company culture. Many people talk about, but not everyone puts in the effort to create it. And when they don’t, it becomes assumed – which isn’t what you want.