Ep. 2 - How to Get a Grip on Your Law Practice Using the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)

In the second episode of The Successful Barrister, Marc Whitehead and Diana Berry discuss the implementation of EOS, or the Entrepreneurial Operating System, at Marc Whitehead & Associates. Implementation takes place over two years and is facilitated by a certified implementer. Learn about the six core components that make up EOS, the tools to implement the system, and the simplicity of implementation. Dive into the origins of EOS in Traction by Gino Wickman – and maybe even email Marc Whitehead for a summary of the book. 

For detailed show notes, read below and use the timestamps to navigate the episode: 

[1:16] EOS, or the Entrepreneurial Operating System, is making the news as over 40,000 companies are currently using it. The genesis of EOS is from Traction by Gino Wickman, and Marc Whitehead & Associates is currently implementing EOS in its practice.

[2:18] EOS gained traction in the legal industry. It helps Marc Whitehead & Associates focus on leadership and team building.

[4:10] When you grow a business, you have to scale and hire more people. The more you grow, the harder it is to ensure that all employees share the same vision. EOS helps foster a collective vision between employees. 

[5:44] According to Diana, the beauty of EOS is its simplicity. It has clearly defined Diana’s role as the integrator and Marc’s role as the visionary, and where their roles start and end. The process also encourages accountability. 

[8:29] Scaling Up was written by Verne Harnish, whom Geno Wickman once worked for. Scaling Up and EOS are direct competitor systems. Marc considered both systems for Marc Whitehead & Associates, but chose EOS because of its simplicity and compatibility with the size of the firm. Scaling Up is best for much larger companies. 

[10:43] Christine Spray is a licensed EOS implementor. Her job is to help Marc Whitehead & Associates implement EOS. The process is a two-year commitment. 

[12:37] One of the first steps organizations must take within the EOS system is determining the leadership team. Employees on this team will be present at EOS meetings. For Marc Whitehead & Associates, these team members are employees who are responsible for generating revenue streams. 

[15:07] The EOS model is made up of six core components: people, vision, data, issues, process, and traction. EOS uses a simple rating system to determine where organizations stand with each of the six core components.

[18:11] Everybody has a motivation that gets them to work every day. This motivation should correspond with the organization’s purpose. For Marc Whitehead & Associates, this purpose is to improve the lives of disabled and injured clients. The organization’s vision is a comprehensive expansion of this purpose; involving a 5-year plan. 

[20:42] The simplified 5-year plan for Marc Whitehead & Associates is to double the number of families that the firm assists. When Marc Whitehead & Associates helps clients, they also help their families, so they think of families as an extension of the client. 

[21:36] It is crucial to define the benefits of expansion to employees. For Marc Whitehead & Associates, these benefits include career opportunities, raises resulting from revenue increases, and bonuses. Everybody in the firm needs to know and buy into the vision.

[23:30] Marc and Diana discuss Traction by Geno Wickman, which they recommend to the listener. They read the book during their quarterly leadership bootcamps. The vision and people components make up the early chapters of the book. 

[25:12] Chapter 5 covers the data component. Each component has a specific tool, making EOS simple to implement. The scorecard is the implementation tool for the data component. It covers revenue, new leads, Google reviews, outstanding balances, and net promoter score.

[28:55] The difference between a dashboard and the EOS scorecards is the ability to view the data as an issue. If something is awry in the scorecard, it becomes an issue in the Level 10 meeting. This ensures that problems in the data are recognized and addressed.

[30:26] The following chapter is the issues chapter. Many firms have issues that linger and are not addressed. Part of the EOS process is dealing with issues on a weekly basis. Level 10 meetings are a weekly meeting with the leadership team that follows a very specific format. Most of the meeting is spent in IDS, which stands for identify, discuss, and solve. 

[32:58] The final chapter is the traction component. Sometimes the way to solve an issue is to create what EOS terms a rock, or a 90-day goal. 

[33:53] The process component involves finding your way as an organization. While it is easy to write a process, it is very difficult to ensure that the process is followed by everyone. Section-level meetings help implement processes at other levels of Marc Whitehead & Associates. 

[35:17] The Level 10 meeting is the traction component of EOS. It involves measuring milestones and determining whether areas need to be revisited.

Buy Traction by Geno Wickman on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837 

Email marc@marcwhitehead.com 

Visit the Successful Barrister website: https://www.successfulbarrister.com/