We have implemented EOS, but we have never created a formal operational agreement or Charter for the leadership team. How do we use a Charter to prevent us from slipping back into bad operational habits?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Operating a business without a formal Charter is like driving a high-performance car without seatbelts. When things are going well, you do not notice the lack of safety. But when stress levels rise, the team will quickly fracture.

A Charter is a signed covenant that defines how you will treat each other and make decisions. It should be built on three core pillars: Trust, Same Page, and Yes! to Strategy and Structure.

To create your Charter, dedicate time during your next quarterly planning session. Walk through each pillar with your leadership team.
- Trust means committing to open and honest communication, vulnerability, and resolving issues completely.
- Same Page means committing to one vision, one voice, and working together with love and respect.
- Yes! to Strategy and Structure means agreeing to support healthy, SMART decisions once they are made.

Have every member of the leadership team actively contribute to defining what these pillars look like in practice. Once everyone agrees, have each leader sign the document.

Keep the Charter alive. Do not file it away in a drawer. Read it aloud at the start of every quarterly planning session. Use it as a filter when conflict arises. If a leader starts slipping back into bad habits, refer them back to the Charter they signed.