Unleashing the Power of the Vision Traction Organizer (VTO) for Your Business
In organizations, having a clear vision and a structured approach to achieving it is paramount. This is where the Vision Traction Organizer (VTO) from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) comes into play. The VTO is a powerful tool that helps businesses articulate their vision, set goals, and track progress, ensuring that everyone in the organization is aligned and moving in the right direction.
At Ascend Consulting, we have seen firsthand the transformative impact that the VTO can have on businesses. By guiding companies through this process, we help them gain clarity, focus, and momentum. Here’s a closer look at how the VTO works and why it’s an essential component for any business aiming for long-term success. We walk through the VTO in our video here.
The Foundation: Core Values and Core Focus
The VTO begins by establishing the foundational elements of your business: Core Values and Core Focus. These elements are not just buzzwords; they are the guiding principles that define your company’s culture and strategic direction.
Core Values: These are the timeless, guiding principles that dictate behavior and action within your organization. At Ascend Consulting, we emphasize that core values should influence every decision, from hiring and firing to client selection. If your business’s actions do not align with its core values, gaining long-term traction will be challenging.
Core Focus: This is where the essence of your business comes into play. The core focus is divided into two areas: Purpose, Cause, or Passion and Niche. The purpose should succinctly capture why your organization exists, while the niche describes how you will fulfill that purpose. For example, our purpose at Ascend Consulting is “Building Dreams, Preserving Legacies” and our niche is “Aligning financial and business strategies to achieve abundance for the company and the entrepreneur.”
Setting the Long-Term Vision: 10-Year Target
The VTO then guides you to define your 10-Year Target—a bold, audacious goal that sets the direction for your company’s future. It should be bold enough to scare you a little. This target should be specific and measurable, giving your team a clear objective to rally around. It’s your company’s North Star, guiding every strategic decision and ensuring everyone is working toward the same long-term vision.
Crafting a Marketing Strategy
With the long-term vision in place, the next step is to develop a comprehensive Marketing Strategy. This includes identifying your Target Market, defining your Three Uniques (the aspects that make your company stand out from competitors), establishing a Proven Process, and, if applicable, offering a Guarantee to your customers. These components work together to clarify who you are serving, how you stand out, and the promises you make to your clients.
Bringing the Vision Closer: 3-Year Picture and 1-Year Plan
While the 10-year target sets the distant goal, the 3-Year Picture and 1-Year Plan bring that vision closer to reality.
3-Year Picture: This section translates your long-term vision into a more tangible goal. What will your revenue, profit, and other key metrics look like in three years? What specific milestones will indicate you’re on the right path?
1-Year Plan: Breaking it down further, the 1-year plan outlines what needs to be accomplished in the next 12 months to stay on track. This plan includes specific, measurable goals, ensuring that your company is making consistent progress toward its vision.
Executing the Plan: Rocks and Issues List
To ensure that the 1-year plan is actionable, the VTO introduces Rocks—90-day goals that are critical to achieving your annual objectives. These rocks should be assigned to specific individuals within the organization, ensuring accountability and focus.
Alongside rocks, the Issues List serves as a dynamic record of the challenges that need to be addressed. Importantly, the Issues List is not for items that are already being handled by rocks but rather for new challenges that require attention. This separation helps keep your team focused on what’s most important while still allowing for the identification and resolution of emerging issues.
Conclusion: Aligning Vision with Action
The Vision Traction Organizer is more than just a planning tool; it’s a framework for aligning your team, focusing your efforts, and driving meaningful progress toward your long-term goals. At Ascend Consulting, we’ve integrated the VTO into our client engagements because we’ve seen how it helps companies gain clarity, maintain focus, and achieve significant growth.
If you’re looking to implement the VTO in your business, or if you need help refining your vision and strategy, we’re here to assist. Contact us today to learn how we can help you harness the power of the VTO to elevate your business to new heights.
The Vision/Traction Organizer, Core Focus, 10-Year Target, Three Uniques and 3-Year Picture are all registered trademarks of Gino Wickman