If you know me, you know I’m passionate about helping business leaders understand that without the right people in the right seats, their company will flounder.
Of the six components of the EOS Model®, the People Component® drives all the rest.
As a Certified EOS Implementer®, I see clients succeed time and time again when they have the right people in the right seats.
One of my past clients, who has been running an EOS® for almost six years, eventually replaced every single person on his leadership team. It took him four years to put the people who live his culture into those seats, and since then, his business has tripled in size. He doesn't worry about cash in the bank or profitability because he has a strong EOS Integrator™ and CFO. He can enjoy two three- to four-week vacations with his family every year without worrying about what’s happening in the office.
Another EOS client, in the manufacturing industry, had made some decent progress over the years, but they were always struggling with operational issues. Partially to blame was an Integrator who only worked two days each week and an operations manager who wasn’t good at delegating and elevating. However, over the past nine months, they’ve turned things around. After one plant manager left, they replaced him with someone internally who is highly people-oriented and excellent at delegating. They also hired a great full-time Integrator a few months ago who understands how to scale a manufacturing business. Now, they’re going gangbusters and well-positioned to take their manufacturing to the next level.
My last example is a small specialty manufacturing company in Lancaster. They don’t have a big business, but they developed a solid leadership team with the people they already had. I’ve enjoyed watching those capable folks rise up and take on leadership roles in the organization. The company has come a long way and is very successful as a result.
The moral of the story in each of these cases is: When you have the right people in the right seats, great things are possible.
How are you doing at putting the right people in the right seats? Consider the simple matrix below to take stock.
The Y axis represents positivity. Positivity is related to your culture.
The X axis represents productivity. Productivity is the capacity to get things done.
People who fall into the upper right-hand quadrant are your stars. They are the people who fit your culture like a glove. And guess what? They get the work done that's required of their seats.
Folks in the bottom right-hand corner are what we call terrorists. They get stuff done but leave a wake of terror and destruction in their path because they don’t fit your organization’s culture.
In the upper left-hand quadrant, you’ll find your puppy dogs. Everyone loves puppies because they fit your culture beautifully, but they don’t get their work done.
Finally, in the bottom left-hand corner lurk the rats. We don’t want to talk about them. They need to be set free and made available to the industry (a kind way of saying, “Fire them!”).
Too many managers and leaders spend excessive amounts of time trying to make puppy dogs more productive and getting terrorists to behave more consistently with the company’s core values.
In the meantime, the stars aren't getting the time and attention they need and deserve. Feeling left out, underappreciated, and unchallenged, they leave the company. Needless to say, that’s disastrous for a business.
Obsess over getting the right people in the right seats and aim to have ALL stars.
If you can’t get your puppy dogs to step up in their current roles, consider where they can excel and be productive. If your terrorists fail to change their behaviors to align with your culture, release them to make them available to the industry.
And last but not least, give your stars plenty of your time and attention. Make sure they feel valued, adequately challenged, and empowered to develop their skills and rise in your company.
Do you need help mastering the People Component in your business? Schedule a call to discuss your challenges. I’d love to help!
