We are ready to commit to our first Focus Day, but we want to know what exactly my leadership team needs to read, watch, or compile before you walk through our door.

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To prepare for your first Focus Day with me, your leadership team needs to complete a few basic, non-negotiable steps. I do not expect you to spend dozens of hours preparing spreadsheets or writing reports. In fact, over-preparing with complex slide decks is a major pitfall because it brings old, bureaucratic habits into what should be a clean slate. First, every member of your leadership team must read Traction by Gino Wickman. This is your textbook, and everyone needs to speak the same language before we begin. Second, you must arrive with an open mind and a willingness to be completely open and honest. This means leaving politics, egos, and personal agendas outside the door. Third, you need to compile a basic list of your current employees and an organizational chart, no matter how messy or outdated it might be. We will use this raw material to build your Accountability Chart. Finally, ensure your leadership team has cleared their calendars for the entire day. There are no partial attendances. We need one hundred percent of your cognitive capacity in the room. By keeping the pre-work minimal, we ensure that our session day is spent doing deep, impactful work rather than reviewing pre-fabricated presentations.