MY BOOK LIFE

"Get A Grip" by Gino Wickman & Mike Paton

September 3, 2024

Overview

In Get a Grip, Gino Wickman and Mike Paton breathe life into the principles of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) through a relatable business fable. The story follows Swan Services, a fictional company struggling with common challenges like miscommunication, lack of accountability, and team misalignment. Over time, the business transforms as the team implements EOS, showing step-by-step how the framework works in practice. The book serves as a perfect complement to Traction, bringing the concepts to life through storytelling. From creating a Vision Traction Organiser (V/TO) to defining clear roles with the Accountability Chart, Get a Grip demonstrates how EOS principles can be applied to overcome real-world business hurdles. It’s a quick, engaging read for leaders at any stage of their EOS journey, providing both inspiration and practical insights. Whether you’re considering EOS or already implementing it, this book offers valuable lessons for creating a cohesive and high-performing team.

Key Themes

• EOS in Action: A practical example of how EOS principles are implemented within a business.
• Leadership Alignment: Demonstrating the importance of uniting leadership teams around a shared vision.
• Tackling Dysfunction: Addressing common team challenges like miscommunication and unclear roles.
• Vision Traction Organiser (V/TO): A clear, concise tool for aligning the company’s long-term goals and priorities.
• Accountability Chart: Establishing clear roles and responsibilities to enhance team productivity.
• Incremental Transformation: Highlighting that change happens step by step, not overnight.

My Takeaways

Get a Grip came to me at a perfect time—early in my EOS journey—when I was still piecing together how the system worked in practice. This book added a little extra depth to my understanding of EOS while reinforcing the key principles I’d started to implement. The narrative format made it a quick and simple read, yet it packed in valuable insights about team alignment, accountability, and driving real traction in a business.

One of the things I appreciated most was how accessible it felt. By following the fictional Swan Services team, I could see how EOS might play out in real-world scenarios, making it an ideal accompaniment to Traction. While Traction serves as the definitive guide, Get a Grip brings the concepts to life in a way that’s relatable and easy to digest.

I’d definitely recommend this to someone considering EOS or just starting their implementation. It’s a brilliant way to grasp the fundamentals while gaining confidence in how to apply them. For me, it cemented my belief in the system and gave me practical examples to lean on during my own EOS journey.