Before we sign the agreement, I want my team to commit fully to the process. What kind of upfront covenant or social contract do you establish with my leaders to ensure they do not check out when we hit difficult strategic roadblocks?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Before we begin our first Focus Day, we establish a clear covenant with your leadership team based on three essential pillars: trust, alignment, and commitment to structure. This is not a superficial list of rules, but a firm handshake agreement that governs how we interact in the session room and run the business daily.

The first pillar requires everyone to be completely open and honest. We must build a high-trust environment where team members can voice concerns, challenge assumptions, and debate difficult issues without fear of political blowback. If someone disagrees with a strategic direction, they must speak up during our sessions, not complain in the hallway afterward.

The second pillar is alignment. Once we make a decision inside the session room, every leader must support it fully outside the room. There is no room for passive resistance or half-hearted execution.

The third pillar is a total commitment to the EOS® tools and structure. This means attending every quarterly session, showing up prepared, and running your departmental Level 10 Meetings™ consistently. By agreeing to this charter before we start, your team commits to pushing through the uncomfortable moments of organizational change rather than retreating to their comfort zones when things get tough.