Chapter 1:
Why Self-Implementing EOS is Possible

What EOS Is (Super Briefly)

EOS, or the Entrepreneurial Operating System, is a business framework that helps organizations align their teams, execute with focus, and hit measurable results. It’s a simple, structured set of tools and processes created by Gino Wickman. They get everyone rowing in the same direction toward shared goals, and are a major part of helping brands grow profitably through increased clarity and focus.

The beauty of EOS is that it’s not some complicated, guru-driven program. We designed this for any committed team to implement easily, regardless of their size or industry.

Why Self-Implementation Works

Self-implementing EOS is possible because the system itself is built to be simple. It’s comprehensive, yes, but it’s also executable. If you’re running a business, you already have the skills and the drive to make it work—you just need the structure and the right tools.

I say this with confidence because I’ve done it myself—multiple times, across multiple businesses. In my role as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at a venture capital firm, I was responsible for turning around struggling companies. I came into businesses that were disorganized, unfocused, and in desperate need of a reset.

Hiring an outside implementer wasn’t an option—we didn’t have the budget. We were bootstrapping, trying to save every dollar. So, I rolled up my sleeves and self-implemented EOS.

What I found was this: If you have the right mindset and a committed team, you can implement EOS without outside help. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about following the process. Adapt it to your company, and keep it simple.

There’s a hidden bonus to self-implementation, too. When you’re the one driving the process, you get to make EOS fit your business organically. You take what works, leave what doesn’t, and let the system evolve with your team. You’re in control.

And here’s the kicker: doing it yourself can save you tens of thousands of dollars. An experienced EOS implementer can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $7,000 per day. If you’re running a lean business, that’s a serious investment. But with self-implementation, all you need is the willingness to learn and commit—and the right book.

You Already Have Everything You Need

Here’s the hack: You don’t need to hire an implementer because EOS already gives you the playbook.

Most people know about Traction, the flagship book that explains the EOS methodology in detail. It’s a must-read if you want to understand the core concepts and tools. Things like Rocks, Level 10 Meetings, and the Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO).

But there’s another book that’s a game-changer for self-implementers: Get A Grip.

Get A Grip is a lesser-known book in the EOS library, but it’s the one that can save you thousands. Instead of explaining EOS like a manual, Get A Grip tells a story. It’s a fictional tale of a company that implements EOS with an outside implementer.

Here’s why this matters: The book doesn’t just explain the tools; it shows you the exact process. You get to see:

• How an implementer would facilitate the workshops.
• What questions they ask.
• How the team responds.
• What the structure of the days looks like.

It’s like having a window into an actual EOS implementation. The story may be fictional, but the process is 100% real.

And here’s where the magic happens: Smart, resourceful founders can use Get A Grip as a blueprint. Instead of paying an implementer, you follow the book, step-by-step, and recreate the process with your team. You become the implementer.

For less than $20, you get the same structure, the same guidance, and the same results—without spending $5,000 a day.

From My Experience: How I Know It Works

I’ve been in your shoes. I’ve self-implemented EOS in over four businesses. I know firsthand how powerful it can be — even without an implementer.

When I worked with distressed companies, my job was to bring order and turn chaos into clarity. The first thing I did in every single business was implement EOS.

Here’s how it worked:

• I started by getting buy-in from the leadership team. I asked everyone to read Traction or What The Heck Is EOS?—a simpler version that’s easier to digest.
• We held a series of workshops, just like an implementer would, using Get A Grip as our guide.
• I played the role of the integrator and facilitator, leading the team through the process step by step.

Sometimes we implemented the full EOS methodology. Other times, we started small—focusing on key tools like Level 10 Meetings, quarterly planning, Rocks, and the Scorecard. Even when we didn’t use the full system, the results were transformative.

I watched teams go from scattered and disjointed to aligned and focused. People who had been pulling in different directions became a true team, working toward a common vision.

These EOS workshops weren’t just about process—they were about people. They became team-building activities that unified everyone and gave us a clear path forward.

What This Guide Will Do

So what’s different about this guide? Why do you need this if Get A Grip already explains EOS?

The truth is, the EOS system is already well-documented. If you read Get A Grip, you’ll get a step-by-step guide to the process. What the book doesn’t tell you, though, is how to make it work without an implementer.

That’s where this guide comes in.

I’m going to share everything I’ve learned about successfully self-implementing EOS:

• How to prepare your team and get them bought in.
• How to facilitate the process effectively without an outside implementer.
• The tools you need, how to use them, and what to prioritize.
• Tips, tricks, and lessons from my experience—what worked, what didn’t, and how you can avoid common mistakes.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clear roadmap to decide if self-implementation is right for you. And if you choose to go for it, you’ll have everything you need to make it a success—without breaking the bank.

EOS works. It’s a proven system, and it’s simple enough for you to implement on your own. All it takes is commitment, the right tools, and the willingness to lead your team through the process.

If I’ve done it successfully with multiple businesses, so can you.

Chapter 2: Is Self-Implementing Right for You? When to Hire a Professional

What Self-Implementation Requires

Deciding to implement EOS is already a big step, but the next decision is just as critical. Will you self-implement, or will you hire a professional EOS implementer?

You must honestly assess what's required if you choose to self-implement. Self-implementation isn’t for everyone—it demands a unique balance of skills and mindset.

When you self-implement, you take on two roles: facilitator and participant. An outside implementer typically guides the team through discussions without sharing opinions. But when you self-implement, you must walk a fine line. You need to move your team forward as the facilitator while also contributing as a participant.

This balance is delicate. If you lean too far into "facilitator mode," you might lose your valuable opinions. Focus too much on contributing, and you risk losing control of the discussion. To do it successfully, you need to know:

• When to push and when to pull.
• When to listen and when to speak.
• When to guide and when to let the team lead.

It’s not easy, but if you can manage that balance, self-implementation becomes a powerful tool to align your team and position yourself as a leader.

When Self-Implementation Is a Great Fit

So, how do you know if self-implementation is right for your company?

For many founders, budget constraints make the decision for them. Let’s be real—hiring a professional EOS implementer isn’t cheap. A full-day session can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $7,000, and for cash-strapped businesses, that’s simply not an option. If you don’t have the money, self-implementation may be the only path forward.

But it’s not just about cost. Self-implementation works best when:

• Your leadership team is mature and open-minded. If your team can have productive, honest discussions without an external referee, you’re already ahead of the curve.
• You have strong internal leadership. Whether it’s you or someone on your team, someone must step up to facilitate the process and keep the team accountable.
• The team is flexible and collaborative. If your team can set egos aside and focus on the greater good, self-implementation will feel natural.

On the flip side, if your leadership team struggles to align, argues over every decision, or has strong personalities that clash, self-implementation becomes much harder.

Signs You Might Need Help

So when is it better to hire a professional implementer?

If any of these sound familiar, it might be time to bring in an expert:

• Egos are in the way: If your leadership team has strong, inflexible opinions, an implementer can act as a neutral facilitator to break through the gridlock.
• You need a referee: Sometimes, teams just need an outsider to guide tough discussions and keep things moving forward.
• You lack confidence: If no one on your team feels capable of facilitating EOS discussions, an expert can provide the experience and structure you need.
• You’re not proficient in EOS: You need to spend time learning the tools in Traction.It can be hard to implement EOS properly on your own if you aren’t fully knowledgeable.
• It’s your first rodeo: If this is your first company or you’re new to leading a team, an implementer’s guidance can help you navigate the process and avoid common pitfalls.

Professional implementers bring experience to the table. They’ve seen the system work (and fail) in dozens of companies. They know how to navigate tricky discussions and keep your team on track.

My Experience Deciding

For me, hiring an implementer was never on the table. I worked with distressed companies—businesses that didn’t have the budget to spend $5,000 or $6,000 per day on an implementer.

But these companies still needed help. They were chaotic, disorganized, and in desperate need of structure. I knew EOS could transform their teams and their results, but I also knew we couldn’t afford outside help.

So I took the reins. I learned the system, I facilitated the discussions, and I led the process myself.

Self-implementation gave me flexibility. I didn’t implement every part of EOS right away. Some tools weren’t relevant to the company’s situation, so I skipped them. Instead, I focused on what mattered most: Level 10 Meetings, quarterly planning, Rocks, and Scorecards.

I also used EOS as a team-building tool. By facilitating the process myself, I positioned myself as a leader while bringing the team together. The workshops gave us structure, clarity, and alignment from day one.

In the end, self-implementation wasn’t just the only option—it was the right option. It gave me the tools I needed to create order, align teams, and drive results without breaking the bank.

Chapter 3: Preparing to Self-Implement – The Non-Negotiables

Your Leadership Team: The Foundation of Success

If you’re going to self-implement EOS, your leadership team is everything. They’re not just participants—they’re your partners in making this process work.

Because you don’t have an external implementer to guide the process, it’s on you to create buy-in from day one. If your team doesn’t understand what EOS is or why it matters, the implementation will fall apart before it even starts.

Here’s how I approached it:

• Educate the team: I bought every team member a copy of Traction or What The Heck Is EOS?. For those who didn’t want to read, I provided the audio version to remove any excuses.
• Set expectations early: I walked them through what EOS is, what tools we’d be using, and how the process would change the way we operate.
• Simulate the 90-Minute Meeting: EOS recommends starting with a “90-minute meeting” to introduce the system. I ran a version of this meeting myself. Explaining the core components and benefits of EOS so everyone could see how it would help the business.

Getting buy-in matters because, as a self-implementer, you’re also the motivator. There’s no outside expert to drum up enthusiasm or create urgency—that’s your role. Your team must align, embrace change, and commit to following the process. If they’re on board, everything becomes easier.

The Essential Tools: What You Actually Need to Facilitate EOS

EOS comes with a suite of tools, but you don’t need to overthink it. Here’s what you actually need to self-implement effectively:

1. The Books:

• Get A Grip: This is your facilitator’s manual. It shows you exactly how to run each session, step by step.
• Traction: This explains the full methodology in detail for those who want a deeper understanding.
• What The Heck Is EOS?: A lighter, more approachable book for team members who just need the basics.

2. Collaboration Tools:
Whether you’re implementing virtually or on-site, you need tools to keep everyone on the same page.

• Remote Teams: Use tools like Miro, FigJam, or Notion. For my teams, Notion worked perfectly because everyone could collaborate in real time.
• On-Site Teams: Go old-school with whiteboards, sticky notes, and printed tools like the Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO), Rocks, and Scorecard.

3. Workshop Setup:
Treat this like you’re facilitating a high-stakes workshop. You’ll need:

• A dedicated, distraction-free space (virtual or physical).
• Printed tools or a projector to display documents for team discussion.
• The Right Mindset:
  Remember, you’re not just running meetings—you’re facilitating transformation. Make sure the team understands that these sessions are about building alignment, creating structure, and setting clear priorities.
  
  

Time and Commitment: The First 90 Days Matter Most

Here’s the truth: If you don’t commit to the first 90 days, you won’t implement EOS successfully.

EOS is intentionally designed to build momentum. The process starts with key workshops like Focus Day and two Vision Building days. These sessions lay the groundwork for everything that follows—your company vision, your execution structure, and your accountability systems.

The problem? If you don’t schedule these sessions in advance and make them a priority, you’ll lose momentum. And when momentum dies, so does the project.

Here’s what I learned:

• Plan sessions in advance: I scheduled all of our workshops (Focus Day, Vision Building Day 1, and Vision Building Day 2) ahead of time. This allowed the team to block their calendars. Whether you’re on-site or remote, treat this time as sacred.
• Break it up if needed: Full-day workshops are exhausting—especially if you’re facilitating and participating. After one brutal 8-hour virtual session, I realized it wasn’t sustainable. Instead, I split workshops into two half-days of 4 hours each, and the team’s energy and focus improved dramatically.
• Keep the momentum going: Once you complete the 90-day rollout, EOS becomes repetitive. Weekly Level 10 Meetings, monthly check-ins, and quarterly meetings follow the same format. Week after week, quarter after quarter – it’ll be the same. But to get there, you need to push through the initial 90 days.

Real-World Example: How I Prepared My Teams

When I prepared businesses for self-implementing EOS, I followed a simple but effective process:

1. Educated the Team: I started by introducing EOS through books (Traction and What The Heck Is EOS?) and videos. Everyone had access to the material, whether they preferred reading or listening.
2. Set Expectations: I ran a version of the EOS 90-minute meeting to explain the process, the tools, and what we hoped to achieve. I aligned everyone and got them excited about the journey.
3. Created a Safe Environment: I was upfront about the fact that I wasn’t a professional implementer. I asked for grace and patience while we worked through the process together.
4. Carved Out Time: I scheduled workshops in advance and broke full-day sessions into smaller, manageable chunks. For virtual teams, we found that two half-days worked far better than a single full-day session.

By the time we started implementation, the team was ready. The team understood the process, bought into it, and knew how to use the tools. Now we could focus on the real work instead of wasting time on explanations.

Key Takeaway: Preparation makes all the difference. If you educate your team, set expectations, and create a clear plan, self-implementing EOS becomes much smoother and far more impactful.

Chapter 4: Facilitating the EOS Process – Who, Where, When, and How

When self-implementing EOS, the ideal facilitator is your EOS Champion. Someone who is highly process-oriented, organized, and has a strong grasp of EOS concepts.

In many businesses, this naturally falls to the integrator, especially when the business owner plays the integrator role. However, there’s a challenge: the integrator is a critical participant. They’re often the tiebreaker and decision-driver in EOS sessions. Balancing this role while facilitating can be incredibly difficult.

From my experience:

• Playing both roles (facilitator and integrator) is possible, but exhausting. If you have someone else on your team who can facilitate, it allows the integrator (or business owner) to focus on participating fully.
• If you lack that option, you must discipline yourself to switch between roles. Moving the discussion along as the facilitator while knowing when to contribute as a participant.

Where to Facilitate: Creating the Right Environment

The environment you choose matters—a lot. Implementing EOS isn’t just another meeting. It’s a special process that requires energy, focus, and a sense of momentum.

Here’s what I’ve found works:

1. Off-Site Retreats: If budget and logistics allow, take the team off-site. Whether it’s a hotel conference room or a retreat center, a change of scenery helps. It’ll eliminate distractions and create a sense of importance around the process.
2. Virtual Workshops: If you’re a remote-first team (like we were), you can still make it special.
   • Schedule the time in advance and treat it like an event—no phone calls, no other work allowed.
   • Use tools like Zoom, Notion, or Miro to collaborate effectively.
   • Make it fun: I included icebreakers, games, and breaks to keep energy high.
3. On-Site Options: If off-site isn’t feasible, find ways to make the office feel “different.”
   • Block out a dedicated space, make sure it’s quiet, and minimize interruptions.
   • Try breaking up the day with activities like team lunches or fun exercises to keep momentum.

Wherever you run EOS sessions, the goal is to make it feel special. You’re building momentum, aligning your team, and creating clarity—treat it with the importance it deserves.

When to Facilitate: Timing Matters for Maximum Impact

The best time to facilitate EOS workshops is when your team has focus and built-in momentum. These sessions are mentally demanding, so choosing the right time is critical for success.

1. Time of Year:
   Run your workshops at the natural transition points of the business—either:
   
   • At the beginning of a new quarter or year: Use the fresh energy of a new quarter or year to set direction and focus. This is when teams naturally reflect on progress and are motivated to tackle what’s next.
   • At the end of a quarter or year: When a quarter is wrapping up, there’s momentum and urgency to plan ahead. Lean into that energy and position EOS as the solution to start the next quarter strong.
2. For example, I’ve said things like this to my teams. “"Let's implement EOS now to make our team stronger and more aligned for the coming year."
   
3. Time of Day:
   Run workshops in the morning when people are freshest. These sessions require mental energy and focus, so you want the team at their best.
   
4. Day of the Week:
   
   • Midweek (Tuesday/Wednesday): By midweek, the chaos of Monday has settled, and people are more present and focused.
   • Fridays: Ending the week with a workshop allows the team to reflect on decisions over the weekend. It’ll help keep the momentum alive.

By running these sessions at the right time, you increase focus, reduce fatigue, and create a natural rhythm. It makes EOS implementation feel productive and energizing.

Who Should Be Part of the EOS Implementation Process

The implementation process starts and ends with your leadership team. They are the ones driving change, aligning priorities, and executing the vision to achieve profitable growth. 

However, there’s a caveat - and that is if your business has external stakeholders. People like investors or board members — consider including them during key parts of the process.

Here’s why:

• When I self-implemented, we initially left external stakeholders (in our case, investors) out of the process. While the leadership team was aligned, the stakeholders weren’t on the same page, which led to friction later on.
• Including external stakeholders in high-level discussions.The vision-building workshops ensure everyone is aligned on key decisions before you move to execution.

That said, there’s a trade-off:

• The more people you include, the harder it becomes to facilitate. Discussions take longer, decisions are harder to reach, and the process can lose momentum.

Rule of Thumb: Only include people in the room if they’re essential to the decision-making process. Assume that if someone is in the room, they get a vote—except for the integrator, who acts as the tiebreaker for final decisions.

Limit Level 10 Meetings and weekly execution sessions to the leadership team only after implementing EOS. These meetings are about driving results and accountability, not rehashing high-level decisions with outside parties.

Lessons From My Experience: The Challenges of Facilitating

Facilitating EOS meetings while self-implementing is hard—there’s no sugarcoating it. Here are the biggest challenges I faced and how I handled them:

1. Energy Drain:
The days are long, packed, and mentally exhausting. As the facilitator, you’re responsible for keeping the discussion moving while participating in high-stakes decisions. 

The day completely exhausted me.‍

What I did: I stopped running full-day sessions. Instead, I broke workshops into two half-days of 4 hours each. This kept the energy high and made the process far more sustainable.

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2. Balancing Facilitator vs. Participant Roles:
There’s a constant tension between moving the conversation forward and wanting to contribute your own opinion. 

As the facilitator, it’s tempting to push for quick decisions. But as a participant, you know some discussions need more time.

What I did: I disciplined myself to switch roles. I focused on facilitating first, making sure the team had space to work through decisions. When it was time to contribute, I switched hats and joined as a participant.

3. Navigating the Exercises:
Reading directly from Get A Grip worked well. But I found that I needed a deeper understanding of the exercises to answer questions and keep the discussion productive.

What I did: I read Traction alongside Get A Grip to understand the “why” behind each tool. This allowed me to navigate questions more confidently and make sure we weren’t just going through the motions.

Key Takeaway: Facilitating EOS as a self-implementer is demanding, but it’s doable. You need the right person leading the process, a strong environment, and a consistent cadence. By managing your energy, balancing your roles, and breaking sessions into manageable chunks, you’ll keep the team focused, productive, and aligned.

Chapter 5: A 90-Day Roadmap to Install EOS Without Overthinking It

The first 90 days are critical for successfully implementing EOS. The timeline isn’t arbitrary—it’s designed to build momentum, establish new habits, and get your leadership team aligned and executing as quickly as possible.

The key focus in these 90 days isn’t perfecting the system. It’s about building an executional rhythm. Introducing accountability, getting the team used to the structure, and creating small wins.

The good news? EOS already has a built-in process to follow. If you stick to the timeline, by the end of 90 days, you’ll have:

• A leadership team that operates like a cohesive unit.
• A cadence of weekly meetings and quarterly planning sessions.
• A clear foundation to refine and grow from.

Week 0: Focus Day—Laying the Foundation

Your 90-day journey begins with the Focus Day. This is where you lay the groundwork for everything that follows.

Focus Day is all about execution—it’s where you set the first pieces of the EOS system in place. This includes:

• Defining the accountability chart (clarifying who owns what).
• Setting your first Rocks (90-day priorities).
• Introducing the Level 10 Meeting format and Scorecard to drive execution.

The purpose of this day is to get your leadership team into the habit of operating more professionally. You’re not diving deep into strategy yet—you’re creating momentum with clear priorities and structure.

Pro Tip: If a full-day session feels too long (it did for me), break the Focus Day into two half-days. It keeps energy high and makes facilitation far more manageable.

Week 4: Vision Building Day 1—Clarifying Direction

About a month after Focus Day, you move into Vision Building Day 1. This is where you start building out your company’s vision.

Vision Building Day 1 focuses on high-level clarity—defining who you are, where you’re going, and how you’ll get there. You’ll start filling out the Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO), which becomes your roadmap for the future.

What you cover on this day might vary from business to business. The important thing is to keep the process moving forward—focus on what’s most relevant for your leadership team and business right now.

Week 8: Vision Building Day 2—Completing the Vision

Thirty days after Vision Building Day 1, you’ll have Vision Building Day 2. 

This is where you refine and complete your Vision/Traction Organizer, getting even clearer on your priorities and direction.

Some businesses make it through the entire V/TO by this point, while others focus on specific sections that matter most to them. That’s okay. EOS is flexible—what matters is progress, not perfection.

By the end of Vision Building Day 2, you’ll have a clearer picture of:

• Where your business is headed.
• What needs to happen in the next year, quarter, and beyond to get there.

Pro Tip: Like Focus Day, Vision Building Days can be mentally demanding. If needed, break them into two half-day sessions to keep energy and focus high.

Week 12: First Quarterly Planning—Building the Cycle

The 90-day process culminates with your first Quarterly Planning Session. This is where everything comes together.

In Quarterly Planning, you:

1. Reflect on what you’ve accomplished over the past 90 days.
2. Reset your Rocks for the next quarter.
3. Revisit your V/TO to ensure you’re still aligned as a leadership team.

At this point, the process starts to feel familiar. Your team has:

• Run 12 weeks of Level 10 Meetings, creating a rhythm of accountability.
• Gained clarity around roles, priorities, and key metrics.
• Laid a strong foundation to keep building on in the next 90 days.

Quarterly Planning marks the beginning of the cycle that you’ll repeat over and over again. The system becomes self-sustaining, and your team starts operating with more focus, discipline, and clarity than ever before.

Chapter 6: Common Challenges in Self-Implementing E.O.S‍

Resistance From the Team

Not everyone on your leadership team will be immediately on board with EOS. Resistance usually comes from three types of people:

1. Those who don’t want to be held accountable: EOS shines a light on results. Some people resist the system because it exposes gaps in performance.
2. Those resistant to change: People get used to doing things a certain way. Introducing a new system can feel uncomfortable.
3. The apathetic ones: This is the most concerning group. If someone doesn’t care about improving the business, they might not belong on the leadership team.

Here’s how I handle resistance:

• For those resistant to change: Focus on the benefits of EOS. Be clear about what the team will gain and why the system matters for the business. If needed, push through and tell them to trust the process for 90 days.
• For the apathetic: This is a deeper issue. EOS exposes misalignment, and if someone doesn’t care about growth, it might be time to reevaluate their role.
• Overall approach: Position EOS as a tool to help achieve the company’s goals. Ask for a commitment to give it their all for 90 days before reevaluating.

Losing Momentum

It’s inevitable—fires will pop up. Pressing business demands will distract you, and temptation will make you say, "Let's pause EOS for now." Don’t. Momentum is hard to build and nearly impossible to regain once lost.

Here’s how to keep moving forward:

• Schedule sessions in advance: Before you start implementing EOS, schedule all your sessions. Plan your Focus Day, Vision Building Days, and quarterly planning sessions. Treat these dates as sacred—non-negotiable commitments that everyone must prioritize.
• Focus on the long-term vision: Remind your team that EOS is a long-term investment. The benefits won’t always be immediate, but over 4–6 quarters, the results will speak for themselves.
• Lead by example: As the self-implementer, you set the tone. If you stick to the plan and show up prepared, your team will follow suit.

Skipping Steps: Be Smart About It

Skipping steps in EOS can be tempting, but it’s a fine line. Here’s the reality:

• Stick to the core elements: The executional rhythm (Level 10 Meetings, Scorecard, Rocks) and every section of the Vision/Traction Organizer are critical. These tools build on each other, and skipping them will undermine the system.
• Be smart about what you skip: If a specific tool isn’t immediately relevant to your business, you can set it aside—for now. For example, in one company I worked with, I skipped the People Analyzer. I did this because we weren’t hiring or firing for 12 months. It wasn’t a priority at the time, so I focused on what mattered most.

Key Takeaway: Don’t skip the essentials. Follow the process as closely as you can, but adapt it where necessary to fit your current reality.

Chapter 7: How to Know If You’re on Track With EOS (and What to Fix If You’re Not)

Signs You’re On Track

You can measure the quality of your EOS implementation through your Level 10 Meetings and workshops. Here are the clear signs it’s working:

• Scorecard Accountability: The team owns their metrics. Your team fills the Scorecard consistently, and you track progress week over week.
• Active IDS Discussions: Leadership team members bring their own issues to the “Identify, Discuss, Solve” section. It’s not just you as the facilitator. This signals engagement and ownership.
• Shared Language and Focus: The team uses EOS terms naturally—Rocks, core values, and 10-year target—and aligns around shared goals. You’ll hear things like, “This isn’t part of our focus,” as team members hold themselves accountable.
• Execution and Clarity: Everyone understands their roles, their Rocks, and the vision. You can feel the team moving in the same direction.

These are the moments when you know the system is working—it’s aligning the leadership team and creating momentum.

Red Flags to Watch For

While progress is easy to see, so are the signs that something isn’t working. Watch for these red flags:

• Lack of Engagement: If you’re the only one bringing issues to the Level 10 Meetings or caring about the Scorecard, the team isn’t engaged or accountable.
• Too Many Fires: If you’re constantly putting out fires or working on things outside of your Rocks, it’s a sign that the planning process needs improvement.
• Inconsistent Execution: Teams that drag out Level 10 Meetings, reschedule them, or ignore the agenda show they're losing momentum.
• Resistance to the System: If the team isn’t participating, doesn’t own their responsibilities, or resists the process, something is misaligned. Whether it’s team buy-in, understanding, or facilitation.

The key is to identify the why. Are people disengaged because they don’t understand the system? 

Is it a lack of buy-in? Are you, as the facilitator, moving the discussion forward effectively? Once you diagnose the root cause, you can course-correct.

Chapter 8: Why Self-Implementing EOS is Achievable for Your Business

Self-Implementing EOS Is Totally Doable

Self-implementing EOS can be a game-changer for your business. It’s a powerful way to align your team, save tens of thousands of dollars,install a proven system that gives brands clarity while driving profitable growth.

You don’t need an implementer to get started. With the right preparation, accountability, and commitment, you already have everything you need. The process provides structure, the resources (like Get a Grip and Traction) give you guidance, and this guide shares all the tips and tricks I learned while implementing EOS in multiple businesses.

I’ve done it. Why can’t you?

EOS Is Just a System—Make It Work for You

EOS is one of the easiest and most effective execution systems out there. But at the end of the day, it’s just that: a system. If there are parts of it that don’t make sense for your business right now, don’t force them.

Self-implementing gives you the freedom to make EOS your own. Take what works, leave what doesn’t, and adapt the system to fit your team’s unique needs. That’s the beauty of leading this process yourself—you’re in control.

That said, keep this in mind:

• EOS is about execution, not strategy.
• If you need more clarity around your strategy (especially the vision side of the Vision/Traction Organizer), I highly recommend checking out our Strategic Clarity Canvas. It’s a tool designed to help you map out your strategy clearly and effectively, and it works perfectly alongside EOS.

What I’ve Learned: It’s About Leadership and Momentum

Self-implementing EOS can be an incredibly rewarding experience. When you lead the process, you’re not just another participant—you’re the one steering the ship.

You’ll position yourself as the leader of leaders, earning respect and trust as you guide your team through the system. Done right, EOS isn’t just about execution; it’s an opportunity to:

• Build motivation.
• Reignite your team’s energy.
• Make the process fun and engaging with team-building activities.
• Grow your businesses profit rapidly

It’s a chance to create momentum and a shared sense of purpose across the business.

My Advice: Just Start

If you’re hesitant about self-implementing EOS, here’s my advice: just start.

You don’t need to commit to the entire process right away. Begin with a Focus Day. Test it out—see how your leadership team responds, how it feels to facilitate, and how much progress you can make.

If it works, keep going. If you decide you need more help, you can always hire an implementer to guide you through the process. But you’ll never know until you start.

So grab your books, schedule your first session, and get moving. The system works—if you work it.

Key Takeaway: Self-implementing EOS is a powerful and achievable way to bring structure, alignment, and momentum to your business. You already have what you need—just start.

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Disclaimer

We are not affiliated with EOS Worldwide, nor are we EOS Implementers. All trademarks, including Vision/Traction Organizer® and Level 10 Meeting™, are the property of EOS Worldwide. This guide is based on our experience with the EOS framework and is provided for informational purposes only. Use this guide at your own discretion and at your own risk.