Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business

Product Information

The road to Hana analogy. The town of Hannah is Tiny and leaves much to be desired but the road to get there is worth the trip.

The third component of the EOS™ is data. Many entrepreneurs are like pilots flying blind with no data to help them determine where they are or where they’re heading. They may talk to a few people and gather subjective opinions about the health of the company, but opinions and instincts aren’t enough to make good decisions.The purpose of conducting these meetings is to induce your people to take action on specific deliverables for the next meeting through the natural Meeting Pulse: These are 3-7 key, timeless guiding principles for your company. Such values already exist within your organization—your goal is to discover and present them clearly so they can guide all your decisions. Chaper 3: Vision. I had to laugh, because if you review the examples of everyone thinks what makes them unique they're pretty much the same. Whereas part of the V/TO has merit, I think it's often silly and oversimplified. I don't think it works with complex use cases: I'm going to give it an 8, because I see what he's aiming at, but too much of it was too buzz-wordy. Get it, Want it, Capacity to do it. Each person must truly understand their role, culture, systems; genuinely like job; have time and mental, physical, emotional capacity to do job well. Include GWC in People Analyzer (as yes or no). Must get "yes" on all 3 (GWC). Why does your company exist? What’s its purpose or mission? Strive for an answer that: is no more than seven words, is simple and bold, resonates emotionally, involves everyone in the company, doesn’t involve money, and is broader than a goal. An example of a purpose or mission would be “to improve the quality of life in our town.”

Operations – “the way you make your product or provide your service to your customer;” often include project management, customer service, and fulfillment Here's what Traction does wrong: Cute-ness. This isn't really a severe flaw - more likely it's a problem of the genre. Everything must have a special name in business books. It's a rule. "TO DO LIST" is far too simple, and wouldn't sell any books. "ACCOUNTABILITY ACTION MATRIX" sounds like an MBA, and an MBA = smarter than me. (this is not a real example from Traction. it's what English majors call hyperboleeeeeeeeeee - which means using too many letters to make a point.)Your ability to succeed is in direct proportion to your ability to solve your problems. The better you are at solving problems, the more successful you become.” Structure- Unfortunately, the structures of most small companies are either too loose or non-existent. Accountability Chart – “different from an organizational chart, an accountability chart defines the right structure for your company and clearly identifies who is accountable for what” Get every staff to list down 3 people (ideally in the organization) who personify the type of people your company needs to become the market leader. Many entrepreneurs neglect this component and allow their way of doing business to develop haphazardly; people do their jobs in whatever way they see fit. This creates inconsistencies and inefficiencies as well as never-ending headaches for you, as the owner.

Here's what Traction does right: Everything. There are clear plans and tools and strategies for getting a business at least looking in the right direction. How do I know? I've been using them, and they seem to be working. At least nobody's punched me yet - which might be as good as one could expect for anybody who takes a consultant's advice. Most business owners are unable to reach the next level because they are simply not ready to let go of the vine.” To let go of the vine and change, you should embrace the following fundamental beliefs: In contrast, honing your processes so they run without constant oversight frees you to focus on building your business rather than being mired in its details. Also, when you have a defined way of doing business, you make your company more scalable and valuable in the event you decide to grow or sell it. In summary, successful businesses operate with a crystal clear vision that is shared by everyone. They have the right people in the right seats. They have a pulse on their operations by watching and managing a handful of numbers on a weekly basis. They identify and solve issues promptly in an open and honest environment. They document their processes and ensure that they are followed by everyone. They establish priorities for each employee and ensure that a high level of trust, communication, and accountability exists on each team.Step 1: After reviewing the vision, list things that must be accomplished in the next 90 days to move toward your vision. Narrow the list to three to seven priorities. Your vision defines your organization, and it spells out where it’s going and how it’s going to get there. To create a vision, determine the following: five leadership abilities to reach the next level: (1) simplify the organization, (2) delegate and elevate, (3) predict both long-term and short-term, (4) systemize, and (5) structure your company the right way.