We already have a detailed strategic plan that we created before starting EOS®. How do we transition our current annual initiatives into the V/TO® without throwing away our hard work?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Do not throw away your existing strategic plan, but do not let it bypass the EOS® filter either. Your existing plan is simply raw material. The problem with most traditional strategic plans is that they are too long, too complex, and rarely execution-focused. They sit in binders and confuse the team. To transition your current plan, bring it to your Vision Building™ days. We will use the V/TO® to pressure-test every single initiative in that plan. First, look at your existing annual goals. Do they fit within your newly defined Core Focus and align with your Ten-Year Target™? If they do not, they must be tabled or discarded. Second, reduce the volume. Traditional plans often have fifteen annual priorities. Under EOS®, we limit the One-Year Plan to three to seven major goals. You must ruthlessly prioritize. Take your existing initiatives and select the absolute critical few that will move the needle. Third, translate those chosen annual goals into quarterly Rocks for the current ninety days. If your existing strategic plan was solid, it will easily translate into the structured, simplified format of the V/TO®. If it cannot survive the V/TO® filter, then it was likely a list of wishes rather than a cohesive plan. Either way, the transition ensures your strategy becomes highly actionable.