As an entrepreneur, I’ve read my fair share of business books that promise to enlighten and inspire, but “Get A Grip” by Gino Wickman and Mike Paton is more like a call to action.
In the follow up to their first book, “Traction,” Paton and Wickman decided to show how the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS) works. “Get A Grip” picks up at the fictional Swan Services organization where decreasing profits, an uncertain market and employee complexities have run amuck.
Fictional owners Eileen Sharp and Vic Hightower are left with picking up the pieces of the company’s setbacks. Then, as discontent looms, the Entrepreneurial Operating System® is brought in to change the climate between employees and clients.
Although the story is told as if it were happening in an organization, Paton and Wickman breakdown the steps necessary for success using the Entrepreneurial Operating System®. The EOS consists of a series of exercises that focus on the core competencies of the business. In chapter two, Eileen and Vic are asked to think of the Six Key Components of the business- Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process and Traction. As a business owner, I found that this diagram really brings what matters back to the center.
Swan Services also uses the Entrepreneurial Operating System® to restructure their workforce. All too often, employees may not have the proper support or comfort level to accomplish certain tasks that are expected of them, and this leads to more than just discontent. Here, Eileen and Vic went through the departments, and as a team, assigned employees to specific departments based on their comfort level and expertise. As they began to restructure, they noticed that there was a correlation between employees and company performance. While reading this, I started to think about possible ways to restructure my own staff and company to maximize productivity and success.
“Get A Grip” is a good read because you get to see how a real world organization would handle certain situations, without having to sign confidentiality papers. Paton and Wickman combined some of the more common issues entrepreneurs face and demonstrated how these simple tricks and tips can really make a difference. While reading it, I felt as though it was completely relatable. Wickman and Paton show that it’s okay to take a step back and reevaluate what you’re doing right and wrong in your business. When you own a business, you encounter ups and downs, and this book discusses how to overcome the downs.
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DISCLOSURE: GIVEN A SAMPLE
I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period.
