Fellow Visionaries,
You already know the drill. You’ve read (or should have read) the entire Traction Library and Mastery Series. You’ve devoured Good to Great, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. These aren’t optional—they’re table stakes for anyone serious about mastering EOS.
But here’s what most Visionaries miss: another level of essential reading separates good Visionaries from truly great ones. After a rigorous selection process guided by the principles of EOS itself, I’ve identified eight additional books that are required reading for every Visionary who wants to reach their full potential.
The Selection Process
I didn’t take this selection lightly. The process was rigorous and guided by the core principles of the Entrepreneurial Operating System itself. I began with a deep analysis of what makes EOS work—the essential DNA that transforms good companies into great ones. This involved mapping the fundamental disciplines that every successful EOS company embodies: the five Core Values, Confronting the Brutal Facts, the Hedgehog Concept, and maintaining a disciplined “Stop Doing” List.
I used this framework to sort through hundreds of business books. I read the bestsellers, the classics, the ones every guru recommends. I asked successful Visionaries what changed their thinking. I dug through reading lists from top business schools and accelerators.
But I wasn’t looking for books that were just “about” business or leadership. I was hunting for books that think like EOS—real, simple, results-oriented.
Here’s how I decided what made the cut:
- Does it strengthen one of the Six Key Components? Not in theory. In practice. Will reading this book make you better at Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, or Traction?
- Can you use it on Monday morning? No academic theories. No 300-page case studies. Just practical tools you can implement immediately.
- Does it make EOS better without making it complicated? Some books sound smart but muddy the water. These eight make things clearer, not cloudier.
I rejected books that were merely popular or well-written, books that might confuse or distract from EOS purity, and books that added complexity without adding value.
The selection of the final eight books highlights their unique ability to enhance your implementation of EOS. Each adds depth to your understanding, provides practical “how-to” wisdom for executing EOS principles, and expands your strategic toolkit as a Visionary. They don’t replace EOS—they make you better at EOS.
The Eight Essential Books
1. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
Why it matters: This book shatters the myth that entrepreneurs primarily start businesses. Instead, it reveals that technicians often experience an entrepreneurial seizure when they begin their ventures. For Visionaries running on EOS, it reinforces the critical importance of working ON your business, not IN it—precisely what the Accountability Chart demands.
How it strengthens your EOS implementation: Gerber’s emphasis on creating systems (your Core Processes) and the three personalities (Entrepreneur, Manager, Technician) perfectly aligns with understanding your role as Visionary versus Integrator. It’s the foundation for why you must Delegate and Elevate.
2. Start with Why by Simon Sinek
Why it matters: Your Core Focus isn’t just what you do—it’s WHY you do it. Sinek’s Golden Circle concept forces you to dig deeper than surface-level mission statements to find your company’s true purpose.
How it strengthens your EOS implementation: This directly feeds your ability to create a compelling Vision that attracts the right people and repels the wrong ones. When your entire organization understands your WHY, your Core Values become magnetic, not just words on a wall.
3. The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Why it matters: Horowitz doesn’t sugarcoat the brutal realities of building a company. For Visionaries who think EOS will make everything easy, this book is their reality check and playbook for navigating the inevitable storms.
How it strengthens your EOS implementation: Every chapter reinforces the importance of confronting brutal facts (a key EOS principle) and making the tough People decisions. His war stories validate why you need clear accountability, strong Data Component discipline, and the courage to deal with the challenging issues.
4. Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
Why it matters: Stop asking, “How can I do this?” and start asking, “Who can do this for me?” This fundamental shift allows Visionaries to stay in their Personal Core Focus instead of getting dragged into the weeds.
How it strengthens your EOS implementation: This book is Delegate and Elevate on steroids. It teaches you to build your Accountability Chart based on finding the right “Whos” for each seat, not trying to do everything yourself. It is essential for Visionaries who struggle with letting go of the vine.
5. The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni
Why it matters: Lencioni argues that organizational health trumps everything in business. Sound familiar? It’s the same reason we say you need to be 80% strong in ALL Six Key Components, not 100% in just one or two.
How it strengthens your EOS implementation: This book dives into creating clarity (Vision Component) and over-communicating clarity (Cascading Messages). His four disciplines perfectly match strengthening your People Component and creating a cohesive leadership team.
6. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
Why it matters: While everyone else fights in bloody red oceans of competition, great Visionaries create uncontested market spaces. Your 10-Year Target should aim for this, not just being better but different.
How it strengthens your EOS implementation: The strategy canvas tool helps you identify your 3 Uniques in ways that make competition irrelevant. It pushes your Vision Component beyond incremental improvement to true innovation, while keeping it simple and focused.
7. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
Why it matters: You can’t build a great company if your leadership team can’t have honest, productive dialogue when the stakes are high. Period. This book teaches the skills that make real, open, and honest communication possible.
How it strengthens your EOS implementation: Master these tools, and your Level 10 Meetings transform. Your ability to address sensitive issues skyrockets. Your leadership team stops dancing around the real problems and starts solving them. This is essential for any Visionary who wants a truly cohesive leadership team.
8. Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
Why it matters: In today’s world, your ability to communicate your Vision clearly in writing is non-negotiable. Writing is leadership, whether it’s emails to your team, content for your market, or documenting Core Processes.
How it strengthens your EOS implementation: Clear writing means clear thinking. This book helps you cascade your Vision, document your proven process, and communicate with the clarity that great execution demands. If you can’t write it clearly, you can’t expect people to execute it well.
The Bottom Line
These aren’t nice-to-have books. They’re required reading if you’re serious about becoming a great Visionary. Each adds a critical dimension to your EOS implementation that you can’t get from the core materials alone.
Here’s my challenge: commit to reading one book per quarter. Bring what you learn to your Level 10 Meetings. Share insights with your Integrator. Use these tools to solve real Issues in your company.
I’ve seen too many Visionaries build impressive libraries full of unread books (guilty as charged). That’s not what this is about. If you won’t apply what you learn, save yourself the time and money.
These eight books will make you a better Visionary, but only if you use them. Bring the concepts to your Level 10s. Test the frameworks on real Issues. Share the insights with your team.
What separates great Visionaries from everyone else? They never stop learning and always apply what they learn.
So, what’s it going to be? Are you going to be great, or will you be comfortable?
Mark O’Donnell
Visionary, EOS Worldwide
P.S. If you’re making excuses about not having time to read, you’re not delegating enough. Fix your Accountability Chart, then fix your reading list. Your business can only grow as fast as you do.
Ready to Become the Visionary Your Business Needs?
Commit to reading one of these books this quarter. Bring what you learn to your Level 10 Meeting. Test the ideas. Share the insights. Strengthen your EOS journey—one book at a time. Want help putting what you learn into practice? Connect with an EOS Implementer to accelerate your growth.
