The Visionary walked out of Vision Building Day 2 completely fired up. The V/TO was complete. The leadership team was aligned. The future felt so clear they could almost touch it.
Excited to get the rest of the company on board, the Visionary scheduled a one-hour all-hands meeting for his 100-person company the following week. He presented the entire V/TO, walked through the Accountability Chart, explained Rocks and Scorecards, and briefly mentioned Level 10 Meetings, all in under an hour.
“Any questions? Great! Let’s go make it happen.”
But instead of feeling excited about the vision and EOS, the team felt overwhelmed and confused. Was this another flavor of the month initiative? How could they be expected to take on something new when they were already so busy? A few months later, the only evidence of their Rollout was a Core Values poster on the conference room wall.
EOS Rollout is a Journey. Not an Event.
If you’re a Visionary, this story might make you uncomfortable because you recognize the impulse. That fire to share the vision immediately is one of your greatest gifts, but a rushed or botched Rollout doesn’t just slow you down; it can set you back months or even years.
To achieve the vision the leadership team has defined, it must be Shared By All. In a nutshell, EOS Rollout is the process of taking EOS beyond leadership to equip your entire team with the tools and knowledge they need to achieve the vision. To reach 80% or better across the Six Key Components of the EOS Model, everyone must understand the vision and consistently use the EOS Foundational Tools (V/TO, The Accountability Chart, Rocks, The Meeting Pulse, and Scorecard).
Here’s the reality: it’s taken your leadership team several months to understand EOS, learn to use the tools, and get clarity on the vision. The rest of the company needs the same time, repetition, and practice to embrace the vision and EOS. Rollout is more than an event. It’s a journey.
The founder later admitted, “I thought I was being efficient, but I was actually being lazy. I wanted Rollout to be as simple as giving a presentation, but I now realize that real change takes much more work.”
Three Ways to Channel Your Enthusiasm Productively
1. Create Context for the Content
When introducing the vision and EOS tools, it’s important to help your team understand what EOS is and why you are implementing it. Hand out copies of “What the Heck is EOS?” to help your employees learn the basics of EOS. Be sure to explain why you need each tool and how you will use them before hanging posters on the wall. Remember, EOS is not something you do TO your team. It’s something you do FOR them. Explaining “the why” helps create context, and context creates clarity and comprehension.
2. Repeat Yourself More Than Feels Necessary
People need to hear a message at least seven times before it truly sinks in. That inspiring all-hands meeting? That was time number one. Build repetition into your Rollout plan. Quarterly State of the Company meetings, departmental meetings, and everyday conversations all count.
3. Partner with Your Integrator on Pacing
Your Integrator sees operational realities you might overlook in your excitement: which teams are overwhelmed, which managers need preparation, and where the infrastructure isn’t ready. Let them pump the brakes when needed. Their caution isn’t resistance. It’s wisdom about execution.
Approach Your Rollout with Patience & Consistency
Here’s the paradox: Rushing Rollout can create confusion and resistance. Patience and consistency create momentum and sustainable change.
Your team will catch that fire. Probably not in the first meeting. Maybe not in the first quarter. But as they experience the clarity EOS creates, they’ll become champions of the vision you and the leadership team are so excited about. You just have to give them time to catch up.
Roll Out Your Vision the Right Way
If you’re energized about your vision but want to avoid the Enthusiasm Trap, the EOS Academy offers practical support to help you lead with clarity and discipline.
Inside the EOS Academy, you’ll find short lessons, tools, and ready-to-use resources designed specifically for Visionaries and leadership teams who want to move from inspiration to execution. Whether you’re preparing for Rollout, reinforcing the tools with your team, or working toward strengthening the Six Key Components, the platform gives you structure to keep momentum steady and sustainable.
Thousands of leaders use EOS Academy as a self-paced resource to sharpen how they communicate the vision, introduce EOS Tools, and reinforce them over time, without overwhelming their teams.
Create your free account and access the tools that can help you roll out EOS in a way that sticks.
Marisa Smith and Beth Fahey are Expert EOS Implementers and co-authors of ROLLOUT: Get Your Entire Team Running on EOS to Achieve Your Vision. The book includes guidance on phased Rollout approaches and communicating your vision effectively. For free resources, including the Rollout Tracker and Troubleshooting Guide, visit rolloutbook.com.
