As EOS implementers, we often say that companies need “traction” if they’re to grow – indeed Gino Wickman’s book about the Entrepreneurial Operating System is called Traction.
A lack of traction can lead to sales drying up, customer numbers falling and a general downturn in the prospects.
But what is traction? The dictionary definition is:
“the grip of a tyre on a road or wheel on a rail” and “the action of drawing or pulling something over a surface, especially a road or track.”
Download: the first chapter of Gino Wickman’s Traction
So how can this definition apply to business?
Grip
When you grip something, you get a hold of it, or get your arms around it. In business, this could relate to staff and leaders getting to know new systems within the organisation and implementing change.
And how else might grip or traction be defined?
Friction
When teams work together, it is normal for there to be disagreements – everyone has their own perspective on an issue. This is not something to be afraid of. Healthy friction or conflicts can enable you to air issues so they are discussed rather than fester under the surface. When they are resolved so that your team can unify behind the solution.
Adhesion
If you are able to a healthy team and a powerful culture, your team will stick together, unified towards your common purpose vision, rather than parts of the business or people within it working against each other.
Case study: how implementing EOS transformed one client’s fortunes
Purchase
Mostly defined as investment, which is clearly important for any business.
However, purchase can also refer to gaining a foothold in a new market or having new leverage – crucial if you want your business to scale and grow.
Resistance
Running a business is challenging. You might face resistance from your team or a particular market or you might be in a challenging situation. How you deal with this resistance can differentiate you from other businesses.
Pull
This is all about pulling your business together and pull forward as a team. Your business is like a community, and when communities pull together they can achieve great things. Pulling together will secure the future of the business and help you achieve your vision.
Haulage
The most successful businesses are those which are constantly growing and evolve. In there terms, haulage refers to the need for your business to get going, gain momentum and move in the right direction.
Propulsion
This is the action of moving. What is driving your business forward and how are you making decisions? The better, and the more informed your decisions are, the better the traction you can get for your business.
Drag
Like resistance, this can be when people aren’t taking the business forward. And it is something that you don’t want in your business
Conclusion
Businesses can’t stand still, because the minute you do so, you are going backwards. So you need traction.
This means getting your business going, getting it working well, getting a grip on it, with your arms around it and getting it unified so that everyone is moving in the right direction. This is what will allow your business to grow, expand into new markets and find new sources of revenue.
The Entrepreneurial Operating System is designed to help you gain traction in your business.