How often do you dive into work without prioritizing and establishing measurements for your progress? When you’re managing a heavy workload, and it just needs to get done, it can be tempting to put your head down and just start getting after it. But are you really doing the most valuable work, or are you just doing what’s urgent?
Without proper priorities, you can’t measure tradeoffs. One thing is just as important as another. And without having a simple set of priorities documented, you could be doomed to repeat the same methods and outcomes over and over again.
All entrepreneurs aspire for a thriving business. The best ones choose a system. One effective method that we’ve seen work for countless businesses is the EOS method. Through this process, you define the ONE metric that moves the mark for your business. Then you go after it.
New subscribers? App downloads? Improved turnover rate? Better margins?
No matter your industry, you must start with defining your one key number. From there, you can breakdown the action steps you need to take in order to improve your number.
Let’s say your technology company just went through a growth period and you needed to hire, invest, and explore new resources to sustain your growth. Now that you have your people and tools in place, you want to shift focus on improving your profit margin. This is now your ONE metric.
Here are 3 easy steps to establish your one metric.
Step 1: Align the Company with the Vision
It’s a lot easier to move mountains when everyone is aligned. This starts by getting everyone on the same page using a powerful vision statement. The vision includes WHO you are, WHERE you’re going, and HOW you get there. It’s especially important to align new hires with the vision upon onboarding.
Step 2: Get the Right Tools
Your leaders need the right tools to gain traction within their teams and the organization to move towards your vision and hit your metric. In this stage, you must clarify what you need, ensure your people are trained, and make sure you have measurable goals for your people to achieve. Practice by establishing three major company goals for the year, then have your team members create SMART goals that align with the company mission and their roles in the company.
Step 3: Connect with the Team
You can have a great working relationship even if you aren’t used to working together. As long as everyone on the team knows the vision and understands their role, it’s all about execution. Make sure your team leaders are creating check-ins with each employee, asking them about their blockers, wins, and feedback. Once your team is aligned and working toward the goals of the company, what you can achieve is almost limitless.
Think of a crew boat: when everyone in the boat is rowing in the same direction, they move quickly and efficiently. But when you have one person sitting in the boat not doing anything and another who’s rowing the opposite direction, your dragging. The same principle can be applied to working teams. One team = one vision = one metric.
Is your team aligned towards one metric and vision? Sometimes it can be hard to focus on metrics when you’re caught up in the day-to-day. If you’re curious if an EOS training would be beneficial to your team, we encourage you to schedule a no-obligation 90-minute evaluation.