Life Beyond the Vine

There is a story in Traction by Gino Wickman about a CEO who is out for a walk one day. As he is walking along a trail, he falls off a cliff—and on the way down grabs onto a vine. So there he is, swinging on the vine. He looks up and it is a thousand feet to the top of the cliff; he looks down and it is a thousand feet to the bottom. He looks up again, and supposing he has nothing to lose, he asks, “Is anybody up there?” A booming voice responds, “Do you believe?” He hesitates, not sure what else to do, so he says, “Sure.” That same voice booms back, “Then let go of the vine.” Grimacing, he looks up and asks, “Is anyone else up there?”

As entrepreneurs and CEOs, we tend to hold onto the vine, meaning we don’t let others in our organizations help us operate the organization. You’ve heard the old adage, “if you want something done right, do it yourself.” That is the essence of letting go of the vine.

It’s difficult to let go of the vine. It’s scary to let go of the vine. After all, you started the company—you wore all the hats—you figured out how to provide the service or the product your clients love. 

But there is life after the vine. Thoughtfully delegating activities that you truly do not enjoy doing will help you share the entrepreneurial burden with your team. It will help you and your teams break through to the next level so you can work “on” your organization, not only “in” your organization.

Letting go of the vine helps you do what only you are uniquely qualified to do in your organization. And when you allow other team members to participate, you help them strengthen their skills; you help them do what they are uniquely qualified to do. It provides your team clear accountability and allows them to work in a coordinated manner with you.

Will you accomplish this overnight? Of course not. You will most likely let go of the vine for a bit and tighten your grip again at some point. Over time, however, you will find yourself letting go of the vine for increasingly longer periods of time. So—give it a try and see how much clearer your life and your organization can be.

If you want to learn more about letting go of the vine or speak with someone who has done it, I would be happy to share my experience with you. As a business owner who implemented EOS® in my own company, I know first hand how hard it is to let go of the vine. But I did it and so can you. 

I invite you to request a conversation with me by using the consult form below. I am happy to answer any of your questions about EOS® or talk about my own experience walking in your shoes. Together with your Leadership Team, I’m confident you can let go and unleash the growth your business is just waiting to realize.