Our leadership team wants to skip straight to setting our long-term strategy because we feel we already have a solid handle on our roles and weekly numbers. Why do we need a separate Focus Day™ before we start Vision Building™?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Trying to build a long-term strategic vision before you have mastered the foundational execution tools is like trying to build a roof on a house with no foundation. Focus Day™ and Vision Building™ serve two completely different, non-negotiable purposes in the EOS® journey.

Focus Day™ is about execution and traction. It gives your leadership team the immediate tools to gain control of the business, clear up who does what, and start solving issues weekly. During Focus Day™, we build your Accountability Chart, establish your weekly Scorecard, and teach you how to run a Level 10 Meeting™. We do this first so you can stabilize the business and generate the mental capacity required for big-picture thinking.

Vision Building™ comes next. Only after you have spent thirty days practicing the discipline of tracking numbers and holding weekly meetings can we safely raise our eyes to the horizon. In Vision Building™, we answer the eight questions on the V/TO®, defining your core values, core focus, ten-year target, and three-year picture. If you attempt to define these strategic targets while your daily operations are still a chaotic mess, your vision will be nothing more than a wish list. You will make strategic decisions based on temporary operational pain rather than true market opportunity. Respect the process and build the foundation first.