Mike Kotsis

July 28, 2014

Do You Have the Right People on the Bus?

In a recent talk I gave on The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), I asked everyone to rate their company in terms of how ‘great’ their people are, on a scale of 0% to 100%, where 100% is perfect. I heard one person laughing, one of those nervous laughs. So I asked him how happy he is with his people. He answered with a question: “Can I put a minus sign in front of my people rating?”

He clearly has frustrations with his people! Does this sound familiar? What do you do when you feel something isn’t quite right with your people? Maybe deep down you know the reason(s), or maybe it’s still a bit fuzzy?

It starts with defining what it means to be ‘great’ for your company. In EOS we use a tool called the People Analyzer ™, to help leadership teams to uniquely define what it means to have ‘great people’ in their company. This definition then allows leadership to gain clarity on two things for each person in the company:

  • Do I have the right people? (Does each person truly value and care about the things that we value and care about most?)
  • Is each person in the right seat? (Are they rock stars at what they do?)

Leadership is then able to gain clarity on which type of people issue exists. Two of the most common are: 1) Right person in the Wrong Seat and 2) Wrong Person in the Right seat. This is not intended to be a firing tool; rather it’s simply used to smoke out the specific people issue. Once the issue is known at the root cause, only then can it be solved permanently for the long term greater good of the company.

  • Do I have the right people? (Does each person truly value and care about the things that we value and care about most?)
  • Is each person in the right seat? (Are they rock stars at what they do?)
  • Leadership is then able to gain clarity on which type of people issue exists. Two of the most common are: 1) Right person in the Wrong Seat and 2) Wrong Person in the Right seat. This is not intended to be a firing tool; rather it’s simply used to smoke out the specific people issue. Once the issue is known at the root cause, only then can it be solved permanently for the long term greater good of the company.

To learn how to use the EOS Tools, including the People Analyzer™, you can read Gino Wickman’s book Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business or you and join us for a Small Giants Fishbowl on 8/14 at 1 pm CDT about the realities of having the right people in the right seats.

About Mike Kotsis

Mike Kotsis has a diverse background including family business, software startup / consulting, and corporate experience. Mike successfully led his family’s 60+ year old distribution business, Atlas Wholesale Food Co, through a turnaround during the worst of Michigan’s economic downturn. Mike clarified and simplified the vision among family members, increased internal accountability while preserving the family culture, and implemented the foundational structure needed to support business growth. Prior to running the family business, Mike was involved in the early stages of a software startup, Optiant Supply Chain Solutions, and also worked in the corporate world at Dell Computer. Leading the family business back to profitability was no easy feat, especially while managing all the moving parts; managing cash flow to make payroll, experimenting with new markets and product lines, building a leadership team, putting out daily fires, and getting all the right people in the right seats. In the thick of the turnaround, Mike at times felt isolated, frustrated, and overwhelmed. Over time, Mike overcame each of these frustrations through disciplined decision making, consistently focusing on solutions for “the long term greater good” of the organization. During that time Mike was a member of several CEO Roundtables and found himself helping other leaders to overcome similar frustrations. These experiences ignited Mike’s passion for helping other entrepreneurs and their leadership teams to get what they want out of their businesses.

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