Running EOS® creates a rhythm for your organization, with weekly L10 meetings and quarterly check-ins. However, once a year, the routine shifts to a two-day Annual Planning session. This critical meeting offers your leadership team the chance to reflect, realign, and set a course for the year ahead. With the right agenda, these two days can provide a roadmap for success over the next 90 days, 360 days, and beyond.

Understanding EOS® Annual Planning

The EOS® Annual Planning session is a great opportunity to map out your future for the forthcoming year. But it’s not a whimsical happy hour. It’s two days of focus meant to refine your goals, metrics, and milestones. To be successful, approach your Annual Planning session with a clear agenda.

What to Include? Components of an Effective EOS® Annual Planning Agenda

The exact structure of the Annual Planning session will vary between organizations, but most will cover similar components.

1. Review Your Progress

Reflect on the past year. Review your Rocks, leading and lagging indicators, and the Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO). This reflection helps identify what worked, what didn’t, and where adjustments are needed.

2. The Team Health Barometer

Annual Planning isn’t just about numbers—it’s also about team health. Use this time to assess how well your team is working together and connect through team-building exercises. Are you aligned? Are there any underlying issues that need to be addressed to improve collaboration and morale?

3. SWOT Analysis

Conduct a SWOT analysis for your organization as a whole or your proven process to evaluate your organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This exercise provides valuable insights into your current position and helps you identify areas for growth and improvement.

4. Review Core Values and Reflect on Your V/TO

Revisit and reaffirm your company’s core values and long-term vision. Check in with your V/TO! Some organizations opt to fill a completely new one out at every Annual Meeting and then see how it compares to their previous one. This also allows you to assess whether your organization's current direction aligns with your overall vision.

5. Establish Goals

Set clear, achievable goals for the upcoming year on your V/TO. Prioritize these objectives based on their alignment with your vision and the impact they will have on your business. Beyond the annual goals, take some time to revisit and potentially revise your 3-Year Picture and 10-Year Target.

6. Create a Quarterly Plan

Break down your annual goals into manageable quarterly Rocks. Set specific, measurable outcomes for each quarter to maintain focus and momentum throughout the year.

7. IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve)

Use the IDS process to address any issues or obstacles that could hinder your progress. This structured problem-solving approach ensures that challenges are dealt with efficiently and effectively. GCE has developed a FREE Problem-Solving Worksheet to help you kickstart your journey with IDS.

8. Budget and Resource Allocation

Discuss budget considerations and resource allocation for the upcoming year. This includes reviewing financial forecasts and ensuring that the necessary resources (people, tools, capital) are in place to achieve your goals.

Best Practices for EOS® Annual Planning Agenda

With your Annual approaching, there’s a lot of content to get through. Here are some best practices to help your Annual Planning session go smoothly.

During the Annual Planning Session

Conduct the organizational checkup. While these numbers aren’t a substitute for talking through issues, the results of your organizational checkup can guide the discussion points and shape your Annual Planning agenda.

Go Offsite: Leave the Office Behind

Taking your team offsite to a neutral location also offers the opportunity for team bonding and celebration: two essential parts of the Annual Meeting.

Celebrate Your Wins

On that note, celebrating is the best way to start your Annual Planning session. At GCE, we have all sat in C-suite roles too, and we know how tempting it can be to laser in on your gaps and growth edges. Set the tone of the planning session by highlighting what went well.

Sample EOS® Annual Planning Agenda

Optimizing Your EOS® Annual Planning Agenda

We get it. It’s scary to invest so much time and resources into something that feels a bit abstract. But the rewards are worth it. We see time and time again how leadership teams return from their Annual Meeting inspired, aligned, and ready to hit the ground running.

To get that flow state for yourself, you need a well-structured EOS® Annual Planning agenda. By including these components, you can create a strategic plan for your two-day session that not only sets your company up for a successful year but also strengthens your leadership team’s cohesion and alignment.

Need support? GCE’s team of EOS® experts can help support the execution of your Annual Planning session, just like we do for quarterlies. These are the moments when you can truly work on your business. Step away with your team and shape your organization’s future. Schedule a call with GCE to learn how to start your next business year with confidence.

Creating an Effective EOS® Annual Planning Agenda