Confessions of an Implementer — The Role of Trust and Alignment in Successful EOS Implementation

Episode: The Role of Trust and Alignment in Successful EOS Implementation
Guest: Nick Bradfield, Certified EOS Implementer
Host: Ryan Hogan
Date: May 8, 2024
Podcast: Confessions of an Implementer (Talent Harbor)

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Ryan Hogan interviews Nick Bradfield—a Marine Corps veteran and Certified EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Implementer. They discuss Nick’s journey from entrepreneurship to EOS facilitation, the transformative power of coaching, and the critical role trust and alignment play in making EOS work for organizations. The conversation is candid, filled with real-world insights about leadership pitfalls, micromanagement roots, the limits of equity incentives, and the mechanics of rolling out EOS for maximum impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shared Backgrounds and Early Connections (00:01–03:13)

• Ryan and Nick bond over mutual connections in the veteran entrepreneur community (Bunker Labs, PBC events).
• Shared understanding of the veteran-to-entrepreneur transition.

2. The Value of Coaching & Mentorship (03:13–09:55)

• Role of Coaches at Every Stage
  • Nick credits his successes—both in athletics and business—to impactful coaches.
    • "Any successes that I've had, I can pin back to a coach... because you can't always understand what's going on if you're in the game." (03:13, Nick)
  • Great coaches show what’s possible and push you out of your comfort zone.
• Military Leadership Influence
  • Exposure to strong leadership in the military shaped expectations for post-service leaders.
    • "Focusing on all these great leaders that were around us in the military makes it really difficult to be an employee when you get out." (04:33, Nick)
• Finding Coaches
  • Some arrive naturally via mentors and peers; others require active searching.
  • Specialized coaching (e.g., facilitation coaches) can be transformational for specific skills.

3. Facilitation Coaching & Group Dynamics (07:23–11:13)

• What is a Facilitation Coach?
  • "They teach you how to ask better questions, how to listen for different cues... It's a whole bunch of different facilitation techniques." (07:29, Nick)
• Difference from Individual Coaching
  • The focus is on helping groups reach alignment toward shared goals, not imposing external solutions.
• Finding the Right Coach
  • Referrals from respected mentors are invaluable.
  • 360 coaching (mentoring up, down, and across peers) enhances learning and self-mastery.

4. Peer Groups as Accelerators (11:13–14:27)

• Importance of Peer Groups
  • Peer accountability can break the isolation of leadership.
    • "You’re not actually going through things on an island...a peer group can call you out on your BS because they’re going through similar stuff." (12:20, Nick)
  • Bunker Labs cited as an example—especially valuable for both early and maturing entrepreneurs.

5. Discovering EOS & Facing the ‘Ceiling’ (14:27–16:59)

• Initial Exposure to EOS
  • Learned from speaker Brent Sprinkle at Bunker Labs.
  • Nick’s interest grew with increasing frustration in his own fintech company.
    • "When I got really frustrated...I hit the ceiling, as we say as implementers, that's when I checked all those boxes." (14:32, Nick)
• Root Cause of Frustration
  • Self-identified as the bottleneck; micromanagement stemmed from lack of trust.
    • "I wanted to have so much control over it that I didn’t have any control." (16:03, Nick)

6. Trust, Micromanagement, and Getting the Right People (16:59–20:47)

• Why Micromanagement Happens
  • Fundamentally about lack of trust, misaligned roles, and poorly defined responsibilities.
    • "If you don’t actually take the time to figure out what the seats are...of course you’re going to have trust issues." (17:31, Nick)
• Ownership Mentality—Limits & Levers
  • Financial incentives (phantom equity, profit sharing) can help but seldom create true ownership without risk.
    • "You can get closer to having the ownership mentality by sharing in some of the upside...you’re never going to get 100% because there's not risk. The risk is what drives the ownership." (20:47, Nick)
  • Importance of aligning incentives to individual motivations (not just financial rewards).

7. Realities of EOS Implementation (24:40–25:50)

• Self-implementation vs. Certified Implementer
  • Nick started by self-implementing, made “every mistake possible”—realized the value in following the proven process.
    • "I created Nick's operating system, which had no merit for anything, and then got on the right track with an implementer and it all worked out." (24:40, Nick)
  • Attempting to ‘pick and choose’ parts of EOS leads to misalignment and confusion.

8. Commitment to Process and Team (25:50–29:27)

• The ‘Secret Sauce’ of EOS
  • Commitment to both the process and team openness is essential.
    • "If you commit to the process and you commit to each other to be open and honest, there’s nothing you can't work through." (25:50, Nick)
  • When either commitment is lacking, implementation falters.
• Dealing with Resistant Team Members
  • Push for candor and address resistance directly; some people problems will resolve organically as accountability increases.
    • "Eventually they'll figure it out...early on, there's always a couple...curmudgeons in the room who are like, 'I don't know about this thing.'" (27:38, Nick)

9. Military Lessons for EOS Implementation (29:27–31:18)

• Transferable Skills:
  • Being comfortable in discomfort, calm under pressure, aiming for progress not perfection.
    • "So much of what we do in EOS is working towards an 80% solution. 100% is great, but we're looking at making progress, not perfection, and then just remaining calm under pressure." (29:58, Nick)
• Managing Intensity
  • Effective facilitators guide teams through emotional highs and lows.

10. Visionaries vs. Integrators & Leadership Structure (31:18–36:25)

• Implementer Mindset
  • Nick identifies as an integrator, not a visionary.
    • "I'm very much an integrator, not a visionary." (31:26, Nick)
  • Most implementers are visionaries, but exceptions exist.
• CEO/Integrator Debate
  • Integrators can make strong CEOs if the organization’s structure supports it.
    • "I see the logic in (integrators making great CEOs)...You have to have that big crazy visionary person out there...People could have visionary traits...But the beauty of the visionary is their craziness." (33:10, Nick)
  • Balancing the dynamic: “Yes, if…” communication tool is transformative for visionary-integrator relationships.
    • "So he would say, 'Can we do this?' I would say, 'No,' ... I learned to say, 'Yes, if.'" (36:25, Nick)

11. Rolling Out EOS in Organizations (36:35–39:01)

• How and When to Expand Adoption
  • Don’t roll out to the whole company on day one; give the senior team time to become fluent.
    • "If you roll that out day one to the rest of the team when it’s clunky, they’re not going to take you seriously...You need to be comfortable running L10s so that you can show them how to properly run L10s." (37:43, Nick)
  • Senior leaders must model the system for successful scaling.

12. The Role of Peer Groups in Accountability and Growth (39:37–41:29)

• Nick’s Own Support Network
  • His professional “T group” (accountability group) is his go-to support, learning, and wellbeing circle.
    • "My accountability group...we have our own L10 every Monday morning. I love spending time with them. As far as a peer group, my suggestion is: find people who you love spending time with that will push you." (40:28, Nick)
  • Peer relationships remedy the loneliness of leadership and spark personal and professional growth.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Power of Coaches:
  "Any successes that I've had, I can pin back to a coach...you can’t always see what’s happening in the game when you’re in it." — Nick, 03:13

• On Trust and Micromanagement:
  "I wanted to have so much control over it that I didn’t have any control… The bottleneck, the frustration point was me and I needed to do something to figure out how to better take care of me while I was doing this thing." — Nick, 16:03

• On Ownership Mentality:
  "You’re never going to get 100% because there’s not risk. The risk is what drives the ownership." — Nick, 20:47

• On Commitment:
  "The secret sauce of EOS is: if you commit to the process and you commit to each other to be open and honest, there’s nothing you can’t work through. If one of those are off, it’s going to be hard...But that does not make it easy." — Nick, 25:50

• On Facilitating Team Dynamics:
  "People want me to have the answers, and I don’t always have the answers. I have a lot of questions… I just approach everything with curiosity." — Nick, 29:58

• On Visionaries and Integrators:
  "The beauty of the visionary is their craziness. It’s that wild idea… as the integrator, 'Yes, if.' That provided me the opportunity to not be negative but say where I thought the potential problems could arise." — Nick, 36:25

• On The Value of Peer Groups:
  "Find people who you love spending time with that will push you...we all kind of have this weird imposter syndrome around each other… but they're just the salt of the earth like good humans." — Nick, 40:28

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:13: Importance and characteristics of effective coaching
• 07:29: What is a facilitation coach?
• 11:13: 360 coaching model and value of peer coaching
• 14:32: Discovery of EOS amid entrepreneurial frustration
• 16:03: Micromanagement, trust issues, and self-awareness as a leader
• 20:47: Limits of equity as incentive for employee ownership mentality
• 24:40: Lessons from failed self-implementation of EOS
• 25:50: The dual commitment required for effective EOS adoption
• 27:38: Handling resistance to EOS within leadership teams
• 29:58: Military skills that enhance EOS implementation
• 33:10: The integrator/CEO debate and finding balance with visionary leaders
• 36:25: The "Yes, if" communication strategy
• 37:43: Planning and pacing the rollout of EOS beyond the leadership team
• 40:28: The critical value of accountability and peer groups

How to Find Nick Bradfield

• LinkedIn: Nick Bradfield
• Microsite: eosworldwide.com/nick-bradfield

Conclusion

This episode offers an authentic, inside look at what it takes for organizations to succeed with EOS. Nick Bradfield’s journey underscores how leadership, coaching, trust, and alignment interconnect at every level—from the first signs of entrepreneurial frustration, through the mechanics of implementation, to the human side of enduring relationships and growth. For leaders at any stage, the takeaways are clear: Embrace coaching, build strong peer networks, trust your team, and commit to a proven process—all while remaining genuinely open and honest along the journey.