If our executive partners cannot agree on basic operational rules and constantly second-guess each other, does that mean we are too dysfunctional to begin our engagement with you?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

If your executive team is experiencing friction, that is actually the best reason to run on EOS®. However, there is a distinct boundary between normal operational misalignment and true organizational unreadiness. To work together, your partners do not need to agree on every strategic decision, but you must all commit to a baseline covenant.

We call this foundational agreement Our Charter. It rests on three essential pillars. First, there must be absolute trust, which means we must be completely open and honest during our sessions. Second, we must get on the same page, treating each other with mutual respect even during intense debates. Third, everyone must say yes to strategy and structure. This means committing to a unified operational system and executing the plans we build.

If your partners are unwilling to sign up for this basic charter, or if they refuse to put the greater good of the organization ahead of their personal egos, you are not ready to begin. If they view structural accountability as a threat rather than a tool for freedom, our session days will devolve into expensive circular arguments. We must have a shared willingness to change. If that baseline commitment exists, we can systematically solve the dysfunction. If it does not, you must address the partner alignment issues before we schedule our first Focus Day.