You’re 20 minutes into your Monday L10, and half the team is still scrambling to update their Scorecards. Someone pulls up last quarter’s Rocks in a spreadsheet that hasn’t been touched since the last meeting. Issues from two weeks ago? Buried in a Google Doc nobody bookmarked.
We’ve lived this exact scenario. When we were building and scaling BrightGauge, we ran on EOS — and we ran into every one of these productivity problems before we decided to build something better. The methodology is proven. But the way most teams run EOS creates productivity gaps that quietly undermine the whole system.
This guide walks you through exactly where those gaps hide, why dedicated EOS business software closes them, and a six-step process to embed EOS into your daily operations so your team can stop managing the system and start running the business. 😊
Table of Contents
- Understanding productivity gaps in growing companies
- Why EOS business software is key to closing productivity gaps
- Core EOS practices to enhance productivity
- Step 1: Audit your current EOS tools and workflows
- Step 2: Selecting the right EOS software stack
- Step 3: Centralizing EOS artifacts and assigning owners
- Step 4: Documenting and testing core processes
- Step 5: Embedding EOS cadence with software automation
- Step 6: Measuring progress and scaling EOS use
- Frequently asked questions
Understanding productivity gaps in growing companies
A “productivity gap” is the output you’re not getting because your team is stuck on unclear priorities, scattered data, and redundant manual work. For small and mid-sized businesses, these gaps are expensive — and they get worse as you grow.
The McKinsey Global Institute found that U.S. small and mid-sized businesses operate at roughly half the productivity of large companies — a gap equivalent to 5.4% of GDP. Meanwhile, Gallup’s 2024 data shows that only 47% of employees strongly agree they know what’s expected of them at work. When more than half your workforce lacks clarity on expectations, every process slows down.
Manual EOS routines — spreadsheets, shared docs, copy-paste meeting prep — work fine with a leadership team of 10–15 people. But as teams grow, the administrative overhead scales faster than the actual work. Meeting prep eats into meeting time. Scorecard updates become a weekly chore nobody prioritizes. Issues fall through the cracks between one L10 and the next.
This is precisely where EOS’s standardized framework is supposed to help. And it does — when it’s supported by the right tools.
Why EOS business software is key to closing productivity gaps
The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) is a practical business framework designed to help companies get three things: a clear vision, consistent traction, and a healthy leadership team. It organizes everything around six components — Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, and Traction — that work together to keep your business aligned and accountable.
The problem is that running EOS on spreadsheets and disconnected tools quickly becomes unwieldy. Heritage Advises, an insurance agency that merged three companies, experienced this firsthand:
“We had the spreadsheets ready to go in each channel, but between meetings, no one was looking at them. We would have a meeting, list the to-dos, the Rocks and things like that, document it the way we were supposed to. But then we wouldn’t look at it again until the following week.” — Heritage Advises Case Study
Purpose-built EOS software solves this by automating accountability, centralizing all your EOS artifacts in one place, syncing with the work apps your team already uses, and delivering live dashboards so decisions happen faster. Harvard Business Review research found that 71% of senior managers consider meetings unproductive — EOS software directly addresses this by bringing structure, real-time data, and clear ownership into every meeting.
A platform like Strety goes further by combining your core EOS tools with project management, performance tracking, playbooks, and surveys — what we call EOS+ — so you can collapse software sprawl and run everything from one digital headquarters.
Core EOS practices to enhance productivity
Before diving into implementation, it helps to understand the EOS practices that directly close productivity gaps — and why digital support accelerates each one.
Level 10 Meetings — Weekly meetings with a structured agenda focused on surfacing and solving issues. When run in software, agendas auto-populate, action items carry forward, and your team spends time solving problems instead of reviewing status updates.
Scorecard — Track 5–15 measurable metrics with individual owners to get an objective, weekly read on business performance. In a live dashboard, Scorecards update in real time instead of getting filled in five minutes before the meeting.
Rocks — 3–7 quarterly priorities per person or team that keep everyone focused on what matters most in the next 90 days. Software connects Rocks to daily tasks and projects so progress is visible without asking for updates.
Issues list & IDS — A running record of obstacles, processed through Identify, Discuss, Solve. Digital Issues lists move seamlessly between meetings and teams, so nothing gets lost between sessions.
Process documentation (the 20/80 rule) — EOS recommends capturing the 20% of steps that deliver 80% of results for each core process. Software makes these documents searchable, role-based, and actually accessible in the flow of work.
| EOS Practice | Frequency | Key Productivity Outcome |
| Level 10 Meetings | Weekly | Structured problem-solving, faster decisions |
| Scorecard | Weekly (reviewed) | Objective performance visibility |
| Rocks | Quarterly (set), weekly (reviewed) | Clear priorities, focused execution |
| Issues List & IDS | Ongoing | Faster obstacle resolution |
| Process Documentation | As needed (living docs) | Consistent execution, easier onboarding |
Step 1: Audit your current EOS tools and workflows
Before you change anything, take a week to diagnose where fragmentation, wasted busywork, and misalignment currently exist.
Start by inventorying where your EOS artifacts actually live. Where are your Rocks tracked? Your Scorecards? Your V/TO? Your Issues list? Meeting notes? For most teams, the answer is “scattered across 4–6 different tools” — and that’s exactly where productivity gaps breed.
Next, estimate the manual hours your team spends each week on updates, meeting prep, and cross-tool coordination. Georg Dauterman from Valiant Technology described why this matters: “Every time we can avoid having to manually enter something, we’re getting back seconds and minutes. MSPs, like most businesses, especially service businesses, are games of inches.” — Valiant Technology Case Study
Here’s a quick audit checklist to get started:
- List every app or file where EOS artifacts are stored
- Note which tools require manual data entry or duplicate updates
- Track hours spent weekly on meeting prep and Scorecard updates
- Identify which artifacts aren’t being reviewed between meetings
- Flag any tools that don’t integrate with your team’s daily workflow (Teams, Slack, etc.)
This audit becomes your baseline — you’ll measure every improvement against it.
Step 2: Selecting the right EOS software stack
Most organizations end up combining dedicated EOS platforms with best-of-breed apps for their specific needs. There’s no single magic bullet, but the right foundation makes everything else easier.
The choice usually comes down to two paths. Dedicated EOS platforms like Strety and Ninety are purpose-built for EOS workflows — V/TOs, Scorecards, Rocks, Issues, L10 agendas, and Accountability Charts are native to the platform. Generic project management tools like Asana, Monday, or Notion can run EOS with heavy customization, but you’ll spend significant time building templates and training your team on workarounds.
When evaluating options, prioritize these must-have features:
- Native EOS tools — V/TO, Scorecard, Issues list, Rocks, Accountability Chart, L10 agendas
- Integrations — Two-way sync with Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace, and your other daily tools
- Real-time dashboards — Live data that updates without manual entry
- Scalability — Can it grow from your leadership team to department and individual levels?
- Consolidation — Does it replace other subscriptions (project management, performance tracking, process docs)?
Operator-built platforms like Strety minimize customization headaches because EOS routines are deeply embedded in the software. Mark Danaj from Parachute Technology experienced this when he switched:
“The ease of use of Strety has allowed us to push it across not only the executive level, but also into the department and individual levels. So we have now taken our EOS implementation from a team of six executives to an organization of over seventy people.” — Parachute Technology Case Study
Step 3: Centralizing EOS artifacts and assigning owners
Once you’ve chosen your platform, the most impactful move is consolidation. Bring your V/TO, Scorecard, Issues list, Accountability Chart, and Rocks into a single, live system — then assign explicit owners to every item.
This is where accountability becomes real. When the Scorecard is a live dashboard with named metric owners — not a static spreadsheet someone updates before the meeting — it becomes your team’s single source of truth. Meetings get faster because the data is already there. Conversations get more objective because everyone sees the same numbers.
Here’s the migration path:
- Migrate all artifacts into your chosen platform — V/TO, Scorecard, Rocks, Issues, Accountability Chart, meeting agendas
- Assign explicit owners for each metric, Rock, and process. Every item needs a single person responsible.
- Train your team on where to find and update information, and how to surface actionable insights from dashboards
Heritage Advises saw immediate results after centralizing: “Our meetings are so much more efficient now. We know exactly what we’re going to talk about and we just follow the order and knock them out. Our leadership meetings are now 45 minutes.” — Heritage Advises Case Study
Step 4: Documenting and testing core processes
A “core process” is any repetitive, high-impact workflow essential to your business — think sales handoffs, client onboarding, hiring, or service delivery. EOS recommends identifying your 5–15 most important core processes and documenting each in 1–2 concise pages, capturing the vital 20% of steps that drive 80% of results.
The documentation process works best when it’s collaborative: have the person who actually does the work draft the process, get another team member to test it, then finalize it centrally within your platform.
The key is making documentation accessible and alive — not buried in a shared drive. Here’s a practical approach:
- Identify your 5–15 core processes across departments
- Have the “doer” draft each process in 1–2 pages
- Have a teammate follow the documentation to test for gaps
- Store finalized processes in a searchable, role-based repository
- Schedule quarterly reviews to keep documentation current
This is where Playbooks in Strety add real value. Instead of SOPs collecting dust in a Google Drive folder, your process documentation lives inside the same platform where your team runs L10s and tracks Rocks. When documentation is part of the daily workflow, people actually reference it — especially during onboarding and training. 📋
Step 5: Embedding EOS cadence with software automation
EOS runs on cadence — the regular, scheduled routines that keep vision and execution aligned. Weekly L10s, quarterly Rock reviews, annual planning sessions, regular one-on-ones. When that cadence breaks, accountability gaps follow immediately.
The right EOS software makes cadence automatic. L10 agendas populate themselves based on carried-over To-Dos, open Issues, and Rock status. Scorecard data syncs from connected tools. Headlines, Issues, and action items move between meetings without someone manually copying them over. Reminders go out through Microsoft Teams or Slack so nothing falls through the cracks.
Here’s a workflow for embedding cadence with automation:
- Set up recurring L10s in your platform with auto-populated agendas
- Connect your Scorecard to live data sources so metrics update automatically
- Enable cross-app syncs (Strety ↔ Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace) for real-time notifications
- Configure reminders for Rock updates, Scorecard check-ins, and issue submissions before each meeting
- Automate action item carry-forward so To-Dos and Issues persist until resolved
Jill Eberle from Pendello Solutions lived the pain of broken cadence before making the switch:
“The biggest problem was being able to get information to and from other meetings. We were dependent on a team member remembering when something needed to go to the other meeting — and then figuring out how it’s going to come back.” — Pendello Solutions Case Study
With automation handling the administrative overhead, your team can focus entirely on solving problems and moving the business forward.
Step 6: Measuring progress and scaling EOS use
Closing productivity gaps is a process, not a one-time event. Full EOS mastery typically takes 12–24 months, and the best teams keep iterating well beyond that.
Here’s what to measure as you go:
Time saved on manual tasks — Track hours spent on meeting prep, data entry, and cross-tool coordination before and after implementation. Teams using integrated EOS platforms consistently report significant reductions in administrative overhead.
Process adoption rates — What percentage of Rocks, Issues, and Scorecards are getting updated weekly? If adoption drops, it’s usually a sign that the tooling is creating friction instead of reducing it.
Meeting efficiency — Are L10s consistently running under 90 minutes? Are they producing clear outcomes and resolved Issues? Heritage Advises went from unstructured meetings to 45-minute leadership sessions after centralizing their EOS tools.
Visibility and accountability — Can anyone in the organization check the status of a Rock or Scorecard metric without asking someone? Kim Sullivan from WorkSmart discovered an unexpected benefit here:
“Before, I wouldn’t have even known that [a manager hadn’t had 1:1s], but with Strety’s transparency, I can talk about it with them. Strety has created coaching points for me as a manager.” — WorkSmart Case Study
The compounding effect is real. Better data leads to better conversations. Better conversations lead to better decisions. And better decisions lead to calm, sustainable growth — which is exactly why we built Strety in the first place. 🌱
Frequently asked questions
What is EOS and how does it help overcome productivity gaps? EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) is a business framework for small and mid-sized companies that boosts productivity by clarifying vision, assigning accountability through Rocks and Scorecards, and standardizing processes for consistent execution.
How does EOS business software improve visibility and reduce manual work? EOS business software centralizes scattered data, automates Scorecard updates and meeting prep, and delivers real-time dashboards — helping teams reduce manual effort and make faster, more informed decisions.
What are the essential steps to implement EOS software effectively? Start by auditing your current workflows, select a dedicated EOS platform, migrate key artifacts into a centralized tool, document your core processes, automate meeting and accountability routines, and regularly track progress to guide improvements.
How can I measure ROI and productivity improvements from EOS software? Track results like fewer manual hours on meeting prep, faster project completion, increased meeting effectiveness, and higher weekly adoption rates for Rocks, Scorecards, and Issues lists.
What common challenges does EOS solve for small and mid-size businesses? EOS tackles fragmentation and misalignment by standardizing roles, automating accountability, and increasing cross-team visibility — making it easier to overcome complexity and scale efficiently.
Time for some marketing here 🙂 — If you’re ready to close the productivity gaps holding your EOS implementation back, try Strety free for 30 days. We built it because we needed it ourselves, and we think you’ll feel the difference in your very first L10.