Every quarter, I ask leadership teams a simple question:
“Did you make a strategic decision in the last 90 days by filtering it through your Core Focus?”
When the answer is a confident yes, the room lights up. Leaders lean in, voices overlap, and pride radiates from the team. They know they’ve been disciplined enough to stay true to their company’s sweet spot.
But more often than not, I hear silence. Focus is hard. It’s a discipline. And in today’s world—overflowing with distractions and shiny opportunities—it’s easy to drift.
So, what exactly is your Core Focus, and why does it matter so much?
What Is Core Focus?
The EOS Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO) asks eight questions that clarify a business’s vision and execution. One of those questions is:
“What is your Core Focus?”
Core Focus is the intersection of two elements:
- Your purpose/cause/passion (why your organization exists)
- Your niche (what your organization is best in the world at)
Think of it as an equation:
Why (Passion) × Talent (Niche) = Core Focus (Sweet Spot)
Working in this sweet spot feels like hitting a ball perfectly in golf, tennis, or baseball. The motion is smooth, the effort feels light, and the results are powerful.
Why do businesses stray? If operating in the sweet spot feels so good, why do so many businesses wander away from it? The reasons are familiar:
- Distractions that look like opportunities
- Boredom with “business as usual”
- Ambition that outpaces discipline
- Envy of other industries
- Fear of scarcity
Each of these can tempt leaders into chasing something outside their Core Focus. And yet, those detours are costly. They dilute energy, confuse teams, and often fail to deliver results.
Consider this: after Tiger Woods won his first Masters, would he have walked away from golf to try out for the Yankees? Of course not. Even non-golfers know that would have been absurd. Yet business leaders expand into areas where they have limited expertise all the time, simply because the opportunity looks exciting.
There is a discipline in saying no. Here’s the truth: an opportunity isn’t truly an opportunity if it doesn’t align with your Core Focus.
It might look good on paper. It might promise revenue. But if it pulls you away from your sweet spot, it’s a distraction—one that can undermine long-term success.
That’s why the V/TO is so powerful. Writing down your Core Focus and using it as a filter helps leadership teams stay aligned and disciplined. It’s a reminder to measure every “shiny thing” against the organization’s passion and niche.
Harnessing Core Focus
- Define it clearly: take the time to articulate your passion and niche. Be specific, not vague.
- Communicate it: every leader should know it by heart—and be able to explain it in plain language.
- Use it as a filter: before saying yes to a new idea, ask: Does this align with our Core Focus?
- Return to it often: revisit your V/TO every quarter. It’s not just a document; it’s a discipline.
There’s a payoff. When your organization stays true to its Core Focus, three things happen:
- Decisions become clearer and faster.
- Teams feel energized, not scattered.
- Growth becomes sustainable and rewarding.
Uncover your Core Focus. Stay laser-focused on that sweet spot. The clarity and confidence you gain will fuel both profit and impact.
In the end, your Core Focus isn’t just about what you do. It’s about who you are—and how you win.
Ready to stay focused on what you do best? Talk with an EOS Implementer to explore how you can define your Core Focus and build a business that runs on clarity, discipline, and traction.
