What I Learned at My First EOS Quarterly Meeting

At Verity Business Consulting, we’re committed to growth—not just for our clients, but for our team. As part of that commitment, we operate using the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), a powerful framework designed to help businesses align, focus, and grow. Through quarterly meetings, EOS provides a clear structure to evaluate progress and set priorities going forward.

My First EOS Quarterly Meeting

This was my first experience participating in our EOS quarterly meeting, an intensive day dedicated to evaluating progress, addressing challenges, and setting clear priorities for the future. The leadership team, made up of our Visionary, Leslie; our Integrator, Rob; and our Operations Manager, Michelle, welcomed me into this strategic session – a real honor for me as a new team member! (You can learn more about the team driving these efforts on our Meet the Team page.) I love being part of a team, so I was excited to engage in these high-level conversations.

We met in Caldwell, Idaho, at the office of our EOS implementer to participate in a quarterly business strategy session.

As a side note, the terms implementer and integrator sound so similar that I think the EOS creators should have chosen different names—it’s easy to mix them up! The implementer (Brent for Verity) is an external EOS expert who facilitates sessions and ensures the EOS framework is applied effectively, while the integrator (Rob for Verity) is an internal leader responsible for uniting the team and turning the company’s vision into actionable results.Thankfully, I think I’ve got the hang of it now.

Setting the Scene

Our implementer, Brent Oetken, has a swanky, beautifully designed office he calls Leader’s Loft. (Seriously, I wish I’d thought of that name—such great alliteration!) Located upstairs above a co-working space on Main Street, the space is both inspiring and inviting. Approaching the meeting just days after a wrist injury—ironically, at the same ice-skating rink just blocks away—I carried a mix of uneasiness and enthusiasm about participating in our company’s strategic planning efforts for the first time. Talk about all the emotions!

I arrived early, before my co-workers, which gave me a chance to grab some coffee and chat with Brent. He’s a former business owner who discovered EOS, and it inspired him so much that he decided to dedicate his work to helping other business owners build structure, accountability, and traction toward their growth goals. Brent had suggested I read What the Heck Is EOS? to familiarize myself with the framework before our meeting. I finished it the weekend before, and it gave me a solid grasp of the terminology and processes we’d be using.

Brent did a fantastic job laying out the expectations and agenda for the day. He was an excellent facilitator, keeping us on track while encouraging transparency and honest discussion. He emphasized the importance of confronting challenges head-on—a tough but valuable lesson for me as a new team member. I’m known for being kind, respectful, and direct, but navigating these traits in a work setting with people I’m still building rapport with was a unique challenge. I wanted to contribute without stepping on toes or overlooking the team’s shared history.

One of the standout aspects of EOS is its ability to help businesses keep “the main thing the main thing.” It’s not just about goal-setting—it’s about creating a framework for revisiting key priorities, evaluating the team, and addressing challenges. EOS implementers use a variety of tools to guide discussions and problem-solving, which can make even the stickiest issues feel manageable.

Brent’s whiteboard became our central hub as he captured our ideas and topics of discussion. Each of us had an EOS binder to jot down important insights throughout the day. Since I was writing left-handed (thanks to my broken wrist), my notes looked like a third-grader’s, but the binder was incredibly helpful in keeping me engaged and organized.

The Verity Approach to Work

Our team embraced vulnerability, sharing frustrations and missed goals. I deeply appreciated their honesty—it set the tone for tackling these challenges together and staying focused on our objectives for the quarter and year ahead.

One of the coolest things I learned during this meeting was about our firm’s “Verity Approach to Work.” Leslie had shared this concept with me in conversation before, but I hadn’t realized how deeply it shapes everything we do. At Verity, we avoid the traditional boss-to-employee dynamic, which can feel disempowering, as well as the teacher-to-student model, where the teacher provides answers and the student completes tasks. Instead, we strive for a piano teacher-to-student relationship: the teacher guides and provides resources, while the student practices independently, returning to demonstrate progress and refine their skills. This dynamic fosters growth, accountability, and independence—a philosophy that resonates throughout our team.

Tools That Drive Success: The Accountability Chart

We spent a chunk of our afternoon refining the Accountability Chart, a key EOS tool that replaces the traditional org chart. Unlike a traditional org chart, the EOS Accountability Chart focuses on roles and responsibilities rather than hierarchy. Each ‘seat’ represents a critical function within the organization and outlines its core responsibilities, ensuring clarity and alignment across the team. This approach eliminates ambiguity and shifts the focus from who reports to whom to what outcomes each role is accountable for.

This was a new way for me to think about connections in a company—not with the primary thought of who reports to whom, but in terms of how information flows, how responsibilities are divided, and how each role supports the overall structure and goals of the business.

Using the EOS Scorecard to Track Progress

One of the most impactful tools we discussed during the meeting was the EOS scorecard. This simple yet powerful tracking system allows us to monitor key metrics weekly, giving us a clear picture of our progress toward goals. By focusing on measurable data, the scorecard helps our team identify issues early, stay accountable, and ensure we’re making informed decisions that drive success. At Verity, we also provide this service to our clients who want help implementing the EOS framework and leveraging tools like the scorecard to achieve their business goals.

As someone who thrives on completion and achievement, I appreciate how EOS provides a practical framework for staying focused on goals. But what truly sets EOS apart is its emphasis on people—empowering the team and leveraging tools to navigate every step of the journey.

By the end of our eight-hour session, we felt energized and aligned in our mission to achieve our growth goals. Our leadership team will continue holding weekly L10 meetings to stay on track. Brent is always available to guide us if we get stuck. If you’re curious about how EOS can help align your leadership team or grow your business, contact us today to learn more about Verity Business Consulting’s customized solutions.