v1.1.0 to v1.2.0

78 added, 201 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: traction-eos

description: 'Implement the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to align vision and execution across a company. Use when the user mentions "EOS", "V/TO", "quarterly rocks", "Level 10 meetings", "accountability chart", "IDS process", "Entrepreneurial Operating System", or "business operating system". Also trigger when a growing company needs meeting structure, goal-setting frameworks, or a systematic approach to solving recurring organizational issues. Covers the six EOS components: Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, Traction. For team motivation design, see drive-motivation. For lean experimentation, see lean-startup.'

license: MIT

metadata:

author: wondelai

- version: "1.1.0"

+ version: "1.2.0"

---

# Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)

A complete system for running a business with six key components. Designed for entrepreneurial companies ($2M-$50M revenue, 10-250 employees) that want to align vision and execution.

## Core Principle

- **Most businesses suffer from the same core issues: people, vision, traction.** EOS provides a simple, complete operating system that strengthens the Six Key Components of any organization.

- **The foundation:** Great vision without traction is hallucination. Traction without vision is aimless. EOS connects the two through a practical, weekly operating rhythm.

+ **Most businesses suffer from the same core issues: people, vision, traction.** Great vision without traction is hallucination; traction without vision is aimless. EOS connects the two through a practical weekly operating rhythm that strengthens the Six Key Components of any organization.

## Scoring

- **Goal: 10/10.** When evaluating or implementing business processes, rate 0-10 based on EOS component strength. A 10/10 means all six components are strong, meetings are productive, and quarterly rocks are consistently achieved; lower scores indicate gaps. Always provide current score and improvements to reach 10/10.

+ **Goal: 10/10.** Rate any business 0-10 on EOS component strength: a 10/10 means all six components are strong, meetings are productive, and quarterly rocks are consistently achieved. Always state the current score and the improvements needed to reach 10/10.

## The Six Key Components

```

Vision → People → Data → Issues → Process → Traction

```

Every business is built on these six components. EOS strengthens all six.

### 1. Vision Component

**Question:** Does everyone in the organization know where you're going and how you plan to get there?

- **Tool: Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO)**

- The V/TO answers eight questions on two pages:

+ **Tool: Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO)** — answers eight questions on two pages:

| Question | What It Defines | Example |

|----------|----------------|---------|

| **Core Values** | 3-7 non-negotiable beliefs | "Own it", "Do the right thing", "Grow or die" |

| **Core Focus** | Purpose/cause/passion + niche | "Simplify small business" + "Cloud accounting" |

| **10-Year Target** | Big, hairy, audacious goal | "$100M revenue" or "10,000 customers" |

| **Marketing Strategy** | Target market, 3 uniques, proven process, guarantee | Who you serve, why you're different |

- | **3-Year Picture** | What company looks like in 3 years | Revenue, profit, headcount, key metrics |

+ | **3-Year Picture** | What the company looks like in 3 years | Revenue, profit, headcount, key metrics |

| **1-Year Plan** | Revenue, profit, measurables, goals | Specific targets for this year |

- | **Quarterly Rocks** | 3-7 priorities for this quarter | The most important things to accomplish in 90 days |

- | **Issues List** | All unresolved obstacles | Problems, ideas, opportunities to discuss |

+ | **Quarterly Rocks** | 3-7 priorities for this quarter | Most important things in 90 days |

+ | **Issues List** | All unresolved obstacles | Problems, ideas, opportunities |

- **Process:**

- 1. Leadership team completes V/TO together (2-day off-site)

- 2. Share with entire organization

- 3. Review quarterly

- 4. Update annually

+ **Process:** Leadership completes the V/TO together (2-day off-site), shares it with the entire organization, reviews quarterly, updates annually.

- **Key insight:** If leadership team can't agree on V/TO, you have a bigger problem. Alignment comes first.

+ **Key insight:** If the leadership team can't agree on the V/TO, you have a bigger problem — alignment comes first.

See: [references/vto.md](references/vto.md) for V/TO templates and exercises.

### 2. People Component

**Question:** Do you have the right people in the right seats?

- **Tool: Accountability Chart**

- Not an org chart—an accountability chart. Defines the structure and who owns what.

+ **Tool: Accountability Chart** — not an org chart; it defines the structure and who owns what.

- **Structure:**

```

Visionary ←→ Integrator

├── Sales/Marketing

├── Operations

└── Finance

```

- **Two key roles:**

- **Visionary:** Big ideas, culture, key relationships, creative problem solving

- - **Integrator:** Runs business day-to-day, manages team, executes vision, resolves conflicts

- **Rule:** One person per seat. No shared accountability.

- **Tool: People Analyzer**

- Evaluate every person on two dimensions:

- **1. Right Person (core values fit)**

- |-----------|---------------------|-----------------|------------|

- | Own it | + | | |

- | Do the right thing | | +/- | |

- | Grow or die | + | | |

- **Standard:** Must be "+" on all core values. One "+/-" is a conversation. Any "-" is wrong person.

- **2. Right Seat (GWC)**

- - **G**et it: Understands the role

- - **W**ant it: Genuinely wants the role

- - **C**apacity: Has the mental, physical, emotional capacity

+ - **Integrator:** Runs the business day-to-day, manages the team, executes the vision

+ - **Rule:** One person per seat — shared accountability is no accountability

- **Must be "yes" on all three.** If missing any one, wrong seat.

+ **Tool: People Analyzer** — evaluate every person on two dimensions:

- **The formula:** Right People + Right Seats = A-players

+ 1. **Right Person (core values fit):** Rate +, +/-, or - on each core value. Must be "+" on all; one "+/-" is a conversation; any "-" means wrong person.

+ 2. **Right Seat (GWC):** **G**ets it (understands the role), **W**ants it (genuinely), **C**apacity (mental, physical, emotional). Must be "yes" on all three.

**People decisions:**

- - Right person, right seat → Keep and invest in

- - Right person, wrong seat → Move to right seat

- - Wrong person, right seat → Coaching/exit (hardest call)

- - Wrong person, wrong seat → Exit immediately

+ - Right person, right seat → keep and invest in

+ - Right person, wrong seat → move to the right seat

+ - Wrong person, right seat → coach or exit (hardest call)

+ - Wrong person, wrong seat → exit immediately

- See: [references/people.md](references/people.md) for accountability chart and people analyzer templates.

+ See: [references/people.md](references/people.md) for accountability chart and People Analyzer templates.

### 3. Data Component

**Question:** Are you managing based on objective data, or subjective opinions?

- **Tool: Scorecard**

- A weekly report card of 5-15 numbers that tell you how the business is doing.

+ **Tool: Scorecard** — a weekly report card of 5-15 numbers that tell you how the business is doing. Weekly data spots problems 2-4 weeks earlier than monthly and replaces gut-feel management with accountability.

**Scorecard rules:**

- Activity-based metrics (leading indicators), not results (lagging)

- - Weekly numbers (monthly is too slow)

- - Every number has an owner

- - Every number has a goal

+ - Weekly numbers — monthly is too slow to react

+ - Every number has an owner and a goal

- Red/green: on track or off track

- **Example Scorecard:**

+ **Example:**

| Metric | Owner | Goal | W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 |

|--------|-------|------|----|----|----|----|

| Revenue | Sales Lead | $50K/wk | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |

| New Leads | Marketing | 100/wk | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |

- | Demos Completed | Sales | 20/wk | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |

- | Customer NPS | Support | >50 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |

| Cash Balance | Finance | >$200K | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |

- **Benefits:**

- - Spot problems 2-4 weeks earlier

- - Reduce "gut feeling" management

- - Create accountability without micromanagement

- - Everyone knows the score

**Metric selection:** If you had to go on vacation for 4 weeks, what 5-15 numbers would tell you how the business is doing?

See: [references/data.md](references/data.md) for scorecard templates and metric selection.

### 4. Issues Component

**Question:** Are you identifying, discussing, and solving issues quickly?

- **Tool: Issues Solving Track (IDS)**

- **I**dentify → **D**iscuss → **S**olve

- **Step 1: Identify**

- - What's the real issue? (Not the symptom)

- - Ask "Why?" until you reach root cause

- - State the issue in one sentence

- **Step 2: Discuss**

- - Everyone gets input (not equal time)

- - Tangents are stopped

- - Focus on the ONE issue

- - Time-boxed (usually 5-15 minutes)

+ **Tool: Issues Solving Track (IDS)** — **I**dentify → **D**iscuss → **S**olve:

- **Step 3: Solve**

- - Decision is made

- - Action items are assigned (who + what + when)

- - Move to next issue

+ 1. **Identify:** Ask "Why?" until you reach the root cause (not the symptom); state the issue in one sentence

+ 2. **Discuss:** Everyone gets input (not equal time); stop tangents; one issue at a time, time-boxed 5-15 minutes

+ 3. **Solve:** Make the decision, assign action items (who + what + when), move on

**Three types of issues:**

| Type | Examples | Action |

|------|----------|--------|

- | **Problems** | Customer churn, team conflict, system outage | IDS → solve |

- | **Ideas** | New feature, process change, market opportunity | IDS → decide (yes/no/later) |

- | **Obstacles** | Blocking a rock, resource constraint, dependency | IDS → remove or escalate |

+ | **Problems** | Customer churn, team conflict, outage | IDS → solve |

+ | **Ideas** | New feature, process change, opportunity | IDS → decide (yes/no/later) |

+ | **Obstacles** | Blocked rock, resource constraint | IDS → remove or escalate |

- **Issues list rules:**

- - Everyone can add issues

- - Prioritize: most important first

- - Not all issues get solved every meeting

- - Unsolved issues carry forward

+ **Issues list rules:** Anyone can add issues; prioritize most important first; unsolved issues carry forward — not everything gets solved each meeting.

- **Common IDS mistakes:**

- - Discussing symptoms, not root cause

- - Rehashing same issue every week

- - No clear action items

- - Too much discussion, not enough solving

+ **Common IDS failures:** discussing symptoms instead of root cause, rehashing the same issue weekly, ending without clear action items.

See: [references/issues.md](references/issues.md) for IDS facilitation guides.

### 5. Process Component

**Question:** Have you documented and consistently followed your core processes?

- **Tool: Core Process Documentation**

- **The 20/80 rule:** Document 20% of your processes to get 80% consistency.

+ **Tool: Core Process Documentation** — the 20/80 rule: document 20% of your processes to get 80% consistency.

- **Identify core processes:**

- - HR process (hiring, onboarding, reviews)

- - Sales process (lead → close)

- - Operations process (delivery, fulfillment)

- - Customer service process (support → resolution)

- - Finance process (invoicing, collections)

+ **Core processes to identify:** HR (hiring, onboarding, reviews), sales (lead → close), operations (delivery, fulfillment), customer service (support → resolution), finance (invoicing, collections).

- **Documentation format:**

- 1. Name the process

- 2. List 5-20 major steps

- 3. Add just enough detail (not a 50-page manual)

- 4. Make it visual where possible

+ **Documentation format:** Name the process, list 5-20 major steps with just enough detail (not a 50-page manual), make it visual where possible.

**Example: Sales Process "The Closer"**

1. Qualify lead (BANT: Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline)

- 2. Discovery call (30 min, use question guide)

- 3. Demo (customize to their pain points)

- 4. Proposal (send within 24 hours)

+ 2. Discovery call (30 min, question guide)

+ 3. Demo (customized to their pain points)

+ 4. Proposal (within 24 hours)

5. Follow up (3 touches in 7 days)

6. Close or disqualify

- **Followed By All (FBA):**

- - Document it

- - Train on it

- - Measure compliance

- - Update quarterly

+ **Followed By All (FBA):** Document it, train on it, measure compliance, update quarterly — a documented process nobody follows is shelf-ware.

See: [references/process.md](references/process.md) for process documentation templates.

### 6. Traction Component

**Question:** Are you executing on your vision every day?

- **Two tools: Rocks and Level 10 Meetings**

#### Rocks (Quarterly Priorities)

- **Definition:** The 3-7 most important things to accomplish in the next 90 days.

- **Why 90 days?**

- - Long enough to accomplish something meaningful

- - Short enough to maintain urgency

- - Natural human rhythm for focus

+ The 3-7 most important things to accomplish in the next 90 days. Ninety days is long enough to achieve something meaningful, short enough to maintain urgency.

**Rock-setting process:**

- 1. Review V/TO (vision, 3-year, 1-year)

- 2. Brainstorm: "What must get done this quarter to stay on track?"

- 3. Narrow to 3-7 company rocks

- 4. Assign each rock to one owner

- 5. Each leadership member also has 3-7 individual rocks

- 6. Share with entire organization

- 7. Track weekly

- **SMART rocks:**

- - **S**pecific: "Launch new pricing page" not "improve pricing"

- - **M**easurable: Clear completion criteria

- - **A**chievable: Can be done in 90 days

- - **R**ealistic: Given current resources

- - **T**ime-bound: Due end of quarter

+ 1. Review the V/TO (vision, 3-year, 1-year)

+ 2. Brainstorm what must get done this quarter to stay on track

+ 3. Narrow to 3-7 company rocks, one owner each

+ 4. Each leadership member also sets 3-7 individual rocks

+ 5. Share with the organization and track weekly

- **Rock scoring:**

- - **Done** = checked off (no partial credit)

- - **Not done** = carried forward or dropped

- - **Goal:** 80%+ completion rate

+ **SMART rocks:** Specific ("Launch new pricing page", not "improve pricing"), Measurable (clear completion criteria), Achievable in 90 days, Realistic given resources, Time-bound (due end of quarter).

- **Anti-patterns:**

- - Too many rocks (>7) → Focus is diluted

- - Rocks too vague → Can't tell if done

- - No owner → Nobody accountable

- - All rocks are "business as usual" → Not moving the needle

+ **Rock scoring:** Done = checked off (no partial credit); not done = carried forward or dropped. Target 80%+ completion. Beware rocks that are just "business as usual" — they don't move the needle.

See: [references/rocks.md](references/rocks.md) for rock-setting exercises.

#### Level 10 Meeting (Weekly Leadership Meeting)

- **The most important meeting in EOS.** Runs every week, same day, same time, same agenda.

- **Duration:** 90 minutes, never longer.

- **Agenda:**

+ **The most important meeting in EOS.** Every week, same day, same time, same agenda — 90 minutes, never longer.

| Time | Section | Purpose |

|------|---------|---------|

- | 5 min | **Segue** | Good news (personal and professional) |

+ | 5 min | **Segue** | Good news, personal and professional |

| 5 min | **Scorecard** | Review weekly numbers |

- | 5 min | **Rock Review** | On track / Off track for each rock |

- | 5 min | **Customer/Employee Headlines** | Quick updates |

- | 5 min | **To-Do List** | Review last week's to-dos (done or not done) |

+ | 5 min | **Rock Review** | On track / off track per rock |

+ | 5 min | **Headlines** | Customer/employee quick updates |

+ | 5 min | **To-Do List** | Last week's to-dos: done or not done |

| 60 min | **IDS** | Identify, Discuss, Solve issues |

| 5 min | **Conclude** | Recap to-dos, rate meeting 1-10 |

- **Level 10 meeting rules:**

- - Starts on time, ends on time (non-negotiable)

- - Same day, same time every week

- - No phones/laptops (except for agenda)

- - IDS gets 60 of 90 minutes (most important part)

- - Rate meeting 1-10 at end (target: 8+)

- - If below 8, discuss what to improve

- **Why "Level 10"?**

- - Every meeting is rated 1-10 by participants

- - Goal is to consistently achieve 10/10

- **To-Do rules:**

- - 7-day action items only

- - Each has owner and due date

- - Done = 100% complete

- - 90%+ completion rate is target

+ **Rules:**

+ - Starts and ends on time — protecting the rhythm is what makes it work

+ - No phones/laptops (except the agenda) — IDS needs full attention

+ - IDS gets 60 of 90 minutes — solving issues is the point, updates are not

+ - Rate the meeting 1-10 at the end (hence "Level 10"); below 8 means discuss what to improve

+ - To-dos are 7-day action items with an owner; done = 100% complete; target 90%+ completion

See: [references/level-10.md](references/level-10.md) for meeting facilitation guides.

## EOS Implementation Timeline

- **Typical rollout: 2 years to full implementation**

+ Typical rollout: 2 years to full implementation.

| Phase | Timeline | Focus |

|-------|----------|-------|

| **Focus Day** | Day 1 (8 hours) | Accountability chart, rocks, scorecard, Level 10 |

| **Vision Building Day 1** | Month 1 | V/TO: core values, core focus, 10-year target |

| **Vision Building Day 2** | Month 2 | V/TO: marketing strategy, 3-year, 1-year, rocks |

| **Quarterly Sessions** | Every 90 days | Review rocks, set new rocks, IDS major issues |

- | **Annual Planning** | Yearly | Full V/TO review, set 1-year plan, Q1 rocks |

+ | **Annual Planning** | Yearly | Full V/TO review, 1-year plan, Q1 rocks |

- **Self-implementation vs. EOS Implementer:**

- - Self: Read the book, follow the tools (free, slower)

- - EOS Implementer: Certified facilitator guides the process (faster, expensive)

+ **Self-implementation** (read the book, follow the tools — free, slower) vs. **EOS Implementer** (certified facilitator — faster, expensive).

+ See: [references/implementation.md](references/implementation.md) for the rollout guide.

## Organizational Checkup

- Rate your company 1-5 on each statement:

+ Rate the company 1-5 on each statement:

| Component | Statement | Score (1-5) |

|-----------|-----------|-------------|

- | **Vision** | Leadership team is on the same page with where we're going and how to get there | |

+ | **Vision** | Leadership team agrees on where we're going and how to get there | |

| **People** | We have the right people in the right seats | |

| **Data** | We manage from a weekly scorecard of 5-15 numbers | |

| **Issues** | We solve issues quickly and permanently | |

| **Process** | Core processes are documented and followed by all | |

| **Traction** | We set and achieve 90-day priorities (rocks) | |

- **Scoring:**

- - 25-30: Strong (maintain and fine-tune)

- - 20-24: Good (close gaps)

- - 15-19: Average (significant work needed)

- - Below 15: Weak (consider EOS implementer)

+ **Scoring:** 25-30 strong (fine-tune) | 20-24 good (close gaps) | 15-19 average (significant work) | below 15 weak (consider an EOS Implementer).

## Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Why It Fails | Fix |

|---------|-------------|------|

- | **Skipping Level 10s** | Lose weekly rhythm, issues pile up | Protect meeting, never cancel |

+ | **Skipping Level 10s** | Weekly rhythm lost, issues pile up | Protect the meeting, never cancel |

| **Too many rocks** | No focus, nothing gets done | Max 7 company rocks, 3-7 per person |

- | **Vague rocks** | Can't tell if done | Write SMART rocks with clear criteria |

- | **No scorecard** | Managing by gut, surprises | Choose 5-15 weekly numbers |

- | **Wrong people kept** | Drags entire team down | Use People Analyzer, make tough calls |

- | **V/TO not shared** | Team doesn't know the vision | Share with entire company |

+ | **Vague rocks** | Can't tell if done | SMART rocks with clear criteria |

+ | **No scorecard** | Managing by gut, constant surprises | Choose 5-15 weekly numbers |

+ | **Wrong people kept** | Drags the entire team down | People Analyzer, make the tough calls |

+ | **V/TO not shared** | Team doesn't know the vision | Share with the entire company |

## Quick Diagnostic

- Audit any business:

| Question | If No | Action |

|----------|-------|--------|

- | Does leadership agree on vision? | Misalignment | Complete V/TO together |

+ | Does leadership agree on vision? | Misalignment | Complete the V/TO together |

| Right people in right seats? | Performance issues | People Analyzer on all seats |

- | Managing from data weekly? | Reactive management | Build weekly scorecard |

- | Issues solved permanently? | Same problems repeat | Implement IDS in Level 10s |

- | Core processes documented? | Inconsistency | Document top 5 processes |

+ | Managing from data weekly? | Reactive management | Build a weekly scorecard |

+ | Issues solved permanently? | Same problems repeat | IDS in Level 10s |

+ | Core processes documented? | Inconsistency | Document the top 5 processes |

| 90-day priorities set and tracked? | No traction | Set quarterly rocks |

## Reference Files

- [vto.md](references/vto.md): Vision/Traction Organizer templates, eight questions

- [people.md](references/people.md): Accountability chart, People Analyzer, GWC

- [data.md](references/data.md): Scorecard templates, metric selection

- [issues.md](references/issues.md): IDS process, facilitation, issue types

- [process.md](references/process.md): Core process documentation templates

- [rocks.md](references/rocks.md): Rock-setting exercises, SMART rocks

- [level-10.md](references/level-10.md): Meeting agenda, facilitation, rating

- [implementation.md](references/implementation.md): EOS rollout timeline, self-implementation guide

- [case-studies.md](references/case-studies.md): Companies that implemented EOS successfully

## Further Reading

- This skill is based on the Entrepreneurial Operating System developed by Gino Wickman. For the complete system:

+ For the complete system:

- [*"Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business"*](https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837?tag=wondelai00-20) by Gino Wickman

- [*"Get a Grip"*](https://www.amazon.com/Get-Grip-Entrepreneurial-Fable-Business/dp/1939529824?tag=wondelai00-20) by Gino Wickman & Mike Paton (EOS as a business fable)

- [*"Rocket Fuel"*](https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Fuel-Essential-Combination-Business/dp/1941631150?tag=wondelai00-20) by Gino Wickman & Mark C. Winters (Visionary + Integrator relationship)

## About the Author

- **Gino Wickman** is the creator of EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and founder of EOS Worldwide, a community of certified EOS Implementers who help companies implement the system. Wickman has worked with thousands of entrepreneurial leadership teams and has helped them get real traction. *Traction* has sold over 2 million copies and EOS is used by over 250,000 companies worldwide. His work focuses on the practical tools needed to run an entrepreneurial company.

+ **Gino Wickman** is the creator of EOS and founder of EOS Worldwide, a community of certified Implementers. *Traction* has sold over 2 million copies, and EOS is used by more than 250,000 companies worldwide. His work focuses on the practical tools entrepreneurial leadership teams need to get real traction.