S1E8: Eric Lindsley | Hire Great People, Then Get Out of Their Way

Eric Lindsley, CEO of Knight Watch Inc., expands upon how his journey toward living his EOS Life® all started with reevaluating his friendships. Eric shares how valuable it is to hire the right people and then get out of their way.

Surround Yourself With Like-minded People

Eric is actively living his ideal life, but that wasn’t always the case. He recalls that as little as five years ago, he wasn’t sleeping well, he was working at least six days a week, and he didn’t have friends who could relate to his entrepreneurial situation or struggles. He knew he needed a change — and decided he would start by finding friends he could relate to.

Eventually, Eric connected with Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), began to meet people, and started implementing EOS®. Next, Eric worked with his leadership team to define the company’s core values and began hiring the right people. The result shocked him: 

[9:52] “I am probably the least talented person on our leadership team… Following the EOS model and letting them own what they’re actually good at really put the company on fire.”

Soon after implementing EOS, Eric went down to working only 40 hours a week. His relationships improved, he was calmer, and his company had a playbook for everything. Instead of having difficulty finding qualified employees, he had a waiting list of people wanting to work for him.

Don’t Hesitate in Front of Decisions

Eric stresses that the EOS Life® is a journey. He strives to create generations of leaders and encourages his team and others to make decisions. Indecision is deadly.

In fact, each of Eric’s employees has a decision card they keep with them at all times to help them in a moment of need. It helps them ask the following before they make a decision:

• Is it good for the customer?
• Is it good for the company?
• Is it ethical?
• Are you willing to be held accountable for it?

If the answers are yes, then Eric says make the decision and move on.

[29:45] “The EOS way is if I have to make the decision for you, one of us isn’t needed. We hired [employees] for a reason: because we love them for their beautiful mind. So, let’s let their beautiful mind do what we hired them to do. Get out of their way. They’re going to make mistakes just like we did — probably not just as bad — so let’s just get out of their way. Let them do it.”

Learn More:

• Eric’s LinkedIn
• Eric’s website

Also Mentioned In This Episode:

• EO’s website