Glossary Of Terms
7 Day Commitment
A specific action that one person commits to complete before the next Weekly Meeting. State the owner, the expected result, and the due date clearly, then report whether it is complete.
7 Day Commitments
ListThe record of actions agreed for completion before the next Weekly Meeting. Show each commitment, its owner, and due date, and review completion each week. Add obstacles or recurring missed commitments to the Agenda.
30 / 60 / 90 Realignment
A structured sequence of conversations to address a gap in values, role alignment, or performance. Clarify expectations with Specific Examples, agree actions and support, and review progress at the 30- and 60-day conversations. At 90 days, make a clear decision about whether alignment has been achieved and what follows.
A Thousand Into Five
Running a business brings thousands of things to worry about. But every one of them fits within five pillars: PURPOSE, PEOPLE, STANDARDS, STRUCTURE, and RESULTS. Seen through those five pillars, a thousand becomes five - and the challenges become easier to understand and address.
Add to the Agenda
Capture a concern, idea, opportunity, missed Vital Sign or obstacle that needs focused attention. Place it on the appropriate Agenda so the team can prioritize it and work through it using JAM, while keeping the current conversation on track.
Agenda
The shared place to capture and prioritize matters that need attention. Keep near-term items available for the Weekly Meeting and record longer-term items in Purpose & Plan. Review deliberately so important matters are addressed at the right time.
Agenda Item(s)
A question, concern, obstacle, idea, missed Vital Sign, or opportunity that warrants discussion. Capture it clearly, decide when it needs to be addressed, and use JAM to reach a decision or define the action required.
Alignment Check
A structured conversation about alignment with Our Shared Values and the requirements of a role. Use Specific Examples and See It, Choose It, Carry It to recognize strengths, clarify gaps, and agree the support or action needed.ChampionThe leader who brings the leadership team's work together and keeps Purpose & Plan moving into action. Align priorities across functions, resolve competing demands, reinforce clear ownership, and remain accountable for the business' agreed operating and financial RESULTS.Document Our STANDARDSA three-part approach to consistent work: Identify the essential practices, Document the important steps simply, and Coach PEOPLE to apply them. Review how the standards work in practice and improve them as the business learns.Empower and AdvanceGive PEOPLE clear ownership of outcomes, together with the authority, resources, and support to deliver. Make it explicit who is accountable, what success looks like, and which decisions they can make - their seat on the Support Structure should be updted to reflect the new responsibility (or Job Description if relaitvely minor, yet worthy of formalizing). As PEOPLE grow in capability and ownership, leaders gain the capacity to advance their own contribution.Front Page NewsBrief updates in the Weekly Meeting about customers, PEOPLE, and significant developments in the business. Share the headline first. When something needs discussion, a decision, or action, Add to the Agenda so it receives focused attention.Goals For The YearThe three to seven most important outcomes the business commits to achieving in The Year Ahead. Make each goal clear and measurable, identify its owner, and connect quarterly Priority Projects to the progress required.Growth ThresholdsPoints at which existing habits, capabilities, or ways of working no longer support the next stage of growth. They can arise personally, within a team, or across the business. Use The Five Leadership Levers to understand the limit and develop the capacity to move beyond it.Ideal MarketA clear description of the customers we are best suited to serve. Consider who they are, where they are, and how they think, including their needs and priorities. Use this understanding to focus Our Customer Focus and build Our Market.Intellectual TourismThe act of collecting ideas without actually changing behavior.JAMA disciplined way to work through Agenda Items and turn discussion into action. Journey to the core to understand what is really happening. Air it out so relevant perspectives are heard. Mobilize the action by agreeing who is going to do what by when.JAM SessionA singularly focused conversation in which key leaders work through the a problem or opportunity. JAM to share ideas, agree decisions, and determine actions so they give the wider team clear and consistent direction.LeaderA person who takes responsibility for the influence they have and uses it to help others move toward a meaningful PURPOSE. A leader sets an example through their own behavior, creates clarity, and empowers PEOPLE with the necessary tools, training, authority and support to own their contribution. Leadership begins with how we lead ourselves and extends to how we help others grow.LeadershipThe daily practice of turning PURPOSE into action through the way we think, behave, make decisions, and develop PEOPLE. Leadership shapes the STANDARDS we live by, the STRUCTURE that supports our work, and the RESULTS we achieve. It asks us to own our influence, act consistently with Our Shared Values, and build the capability of others - in business and in life.Long-Term AimAn ambitious, meaningful destination that gives the business a shared direction over the longer term. Connect it to Our Purpose and use it to guide the Three-Year Snapshot, The Year Ahead, and choices about where to invest effort.Open and HonestA commitment to speak truthfully, listen with an open mind, and address difficult matters with respect. Share relevant facts and perspectives, invite challenge, and make expectations clear so PEOPLE can solve problems and hold one another accountable.Our Customer FocusA clear account of whom we serve and why they should choose us. Bring together our Ideal Market, Our Three Differentiators, Our Proven Process, and The Behavioral Guarantee so our promises, sales conversations, and customer experience align.Our MarketThe identified prospects that match our Ideal Market. Use this focused list to direct relationship building, marketing, and sales activity toward customers whose needs fit Our Niche and the value we deliver.Our NicheThe particular work, customer need, or area of expertise where we can make a distinctive contribution. Define it clearly so PEOPLE know where to focus and leaders can recognize which opportunities fit the business.Our Passion, Our Niche, Our Economic EngineThe meeting point of what energizes us, where we can make a distinctive contribution, and what makes the business economically sustainable. Together, these guide where we invest our time, talent, and resources, helping us pursue opportunities that fit our PURPOSE.Our Proven ProcessA simple visual explanation of how we guide customers from their initial need through delivery and ongoing support. Make the key stages and commitments clear so customers know what to expect and PEOPLE can provide a consistent experience.Our PurposeThe reason our work matters and the contribution we are here to make. Explain why we do what we do and whom it serves, giving PEOPLE a shared basis for decisions, priorities, and action.Our Shared ValuesThe essential beliefs expressed through the behaviors we expect of ourselves and one another. Our Shared Values guide decisions, relationships, and accountability, giving PEOPLE a clear understanding of how we work together and live our PURPOSE.Our Shared Values SpeechA clear explanation of what Our Shared Values look like in everyday behavior. Use real stories, examples, and contrasts to help PEOPLE recognize each value in action and understand the behaviors that do not meet it. Give leaders a consistent way to communicate and reinforce those expectations.Our Three DifferentiatorsThree qualities that, together, explain why customers in our Ideal Market should choose us. Make them meaningful to customers, credible in practice, and consistent with the experience our PEOPLE deliver.PEOPLEThe pillar that connects individual contribution, shared values, and clear ownership. Help PEOPLE understand their roles, exercise appropriate authority, build capability, and deliver on commitments. Use Our Shared Values, the Support Structure, and the Alignment Check to support that alignment.Priority ProjectsThe three to seven most important priorities for the next 90 days at the business, team, or individual level. Define a clear outcome, one accountable owner, and a completion date. Choose projects that advance Goals For The Year and review progress in the Weekly Meeting.PURPOSEThe pillar that establishes why the business exists, where it is going, and what guides its choices. Bring Our Purpose, Our Shared Values, and our intended future into a clear Purpose & Plan, then communicate it so PEOPLE can connect their work to that direction.Purpose & PlanThe shared record of our direction and commitments. Bring together Our Shared Values, Our Niche, Long-Term Aim, Our Customer Focus, Three-Year Snapshot, The Year Ahead, Priority Projects, and Agenda Items. Use it to connect Our Purpose to the decisions and actions that deliver RESULTS.RESULTSThe pillar that makes progress visible. Define the outcomes that matter, assign clear ownership, and use Vital Signs to compare actual performance with expectations. Review the evidence, learn from gaps, and act so daily work contributes to our PURPOSE and intended RESULTS.RhythmThe regular pattern of weekly, quarterly, and annual conversations that keeps Purpose & Plan active. Use weekly meetings to act and resolve obstacles, quarterly planning to reset Priority Projects, and annual planning to agree Goals For The Year.Right PEOPLEPEOPLE whose behavior consistently reflects Our Shared Values. Assess alignment through what PEOPLE do, how they treat others, and how they respond to expectations and feedback.Right Seat(s)A role in which a person can take ownership and deliver the required outcomes. Use See It, Choose It, Carry It to assess whether they understand the work, choose its responsibilities, and have the capability and capacity to succeed within the Support Structure.Ripple MessageAn agreed message that carries a decision or important update beyond the meeting. Before closing, confirm what needs to be communicated, who needs to hear it, who will deliver it, and when and how it will be shared. Consistent messages keep PEOPLE informed and aligned.See It, Choose It, Carry ItThree questions for assessing a person's alignment with a role: Do they See It - understand the work and recognize what success requires? Do they Choose It - want and accept ownership of the role? Can they Carry It - bring the capability and capacity to deliver? Use the answers to clarify fit, support, and development needs.SMARTA way to make Goals For The Year, Priority Projects, and commitments unambiguous: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. State the intended outcome and when it must be achieved so progress and completion can be assessed.Specific ExamplesConcrete observations that make feedback clear and useful. Describe what happened, the relevant expectation, and its effect. Use examples in the Alignment Check to support assessments and agree what needs to continue or change.Squirrel!A light, agreed reminder that the conversation has wandered from the matter at hand. Capture any useful new Agenda Item, then return attention to the current discussion or JAM decision.STANDARDSThe pillar that defines what good looks like and how we deliver it consistently. Make expectations and essential ways of working clear, document the important steps, coach PEOPLE to apply them, and review whether they produce the intended RESULTS. Improve the standards as the business learns.State Of The Company AddressA quarterly update that reconnects everyone with Our Purpose, reports progress and challenges honestly, and explains what comes next. Share relevant RESULTS, recognize contributions, and clarify the priorities that need the team's attention.STRUCTUREThe pillar that organizes how work gets owned, coordinated, and completed. Establish a clear Support Structure, decision authority, and Rhythm. Use the Agenda, JAM, Priority Projects, and 7 Day Commitments to turn direction into action and keep accountability visible.Support StructureA clear picture of how the business is organized to support its PEOPLE and deliver its RESULTS. Define the roles the business needs, the outcomes each role owns, and the authority and working relationships that enable delivery. Build the structure around the work, then use the Alignment Check to assess who is suited to each role.System ScoreA structured check of how consistently the business applies the Five Pillars. Use the assessment to surface strengths and gaps, agree where improvement matters most, and track progress as LILOS becomes part of everyday work.The FloorThe agreed minimum expectations for alignment with Our Shared Values and the requirements of a role. Make these expectations clear before using the Alignment Check, and support assessments with Specific Examples.The Behavioral GuaranteeA clear promise about the behaviors customers can expect from us. Ground it in Our Shared Values and STANDARDS, address a meaningful customer concern, and make it specific enough that PEOPLE can deliver it consistently and customers can recognize when we have kept it.The Five Leadership LeversFive essential skills that help leaders overcome the growth thresholds they encounter at three levels - organizationally, departmentally, and personally. The Leadership Levers are: Clarify. Entrust. Anticipate. Standardize. Align.The Five PillarsThe LILOS framework for understanding and strengthening a business: PURPOSE, PEOPLE, STANDARDS, STRUCTURE, and RESULTS. Together, these five lenses help leaders see where a challenge belongs, how it connects to the rest of the business, and where action is needed. See also A Thousand Into Five.The Year AheadThe business's plan for the coming year. Set expected financial and operational RESULTS, agree three to seven Goals For The Year, and identify clear ownership. Use the plan to choose quarterly Priority Projects and assess progress.Three-Year SnapshotA clear picture of the business we intend to build over the next three years. Describe the intended RESULTS and what the business will look like and how it will operate, connecting the Long-Term Aim to decisions in The Year Ahead.VisionaryA leader who sees possibilities, articulates future direction, and brings ideas and important relationships to the business. Work with the Champion to test those ideas against Our Purpose, set priorities, and translate promising opportunities into achievable plans.Vital SignsA set of 3 - 7 measures that makes the health and progress of the business visible. Give each measure an owner and an expected level of performance, review it weekly, and retain enough history to recognize trends. Add meaningful gaps to the Agenda for action.Weekly MeetingA consistent weekly conversation that keeps the team informed, aligned, and accountable. Review Vital Signs, Priority Projects, Front Page News, and 7 Day Commitments, then use JAM on the most important Agenda Items. Finish with clear owners, commitments, and Ripple Messages.Who is going to do what by when?Turns a conversation into a clear commitment. One person accepts ownership of a specific action, understands what completion looks like, and agrees to a due date. Confirm that they have the authority and support to deliver. This removes ambiguity and gives everyone a clear basis for follow-through and accountability.Work It, Whack It, Wrap It TogetherA practical prioritization method. 'Work It' when it is strong enough to stay, 'Whack It' when it no longer warrants attention, and 'Wrap Together' when related items are close enough to be considered as one. Use the process to create a condensed, manageable, set of priorities.WonkyA disarming, playful way of pointing out that something isn’t quite right. It can be used across the business whenever a number, standard, plan, or situation needs a closer look. A little mischief takes the edge off raising a concern and invites curiosity: “That looks a bit wonky - what’s going on?” It keeps the conversation light while making room to address what matters.Your Leadership Is Life JourneyThe path through which leaders and teams learn, apply, and strengthen using LILOS. Build understanding of the Five Pillars, put the tools into everyday practice, and review progress as leadership capability and the business develop.
LILOS Framework & Tools:
30 / 60 / 90 Realignment - 30 Day Conversation
Use the Alignment Check and Specific Examples to make the gap clear. Agree the required improvement, the person's actions, leadership support, and how progress will be assessed at the 60 Day Conversation.
30 / 60 / 90 Realignment - 60 Day Conversation
Review progress against the agreed expectations and actions. Recognize improvement, address remaining gaps, and clarify what must be achieved before the 90 Day Decision.
30 / 60 / 90 Realignment - 90 Day Decision
Decide whether the required alignment has been achieved. Confirm sustained expectations if it has; if it has not, make and communicate a clear decision about the person's continuation in the role, including ending the employment relationship where that is the decision.
180 Horizon
A rolling cash flow forecast that looks 180 days ahead, compares actual cash flow with projections, and coaches teams through a set of questions to make better-informed decisions. Review differences, update expectations, and consider what the changing picture means for upcoming commitments and opportunities. Use that insight to anticipate cash needs and agree timely action with clear ownership.
Built By Design
An end-to-end hiring process built on Five Disciplines, One Standard (Identify the Need / Design the Support Structure / Define the Human Requirement / Hire Through Consistency / Prove the Fit).
Document Our STANDARDS - Identify
Identify the essential ways of working that most influence customer experience, PEOPLE, and RESULTS. Agree what each practice is called and who owns it.
Document Our STANDARDS - Document
Capture the important steps and expected outcomes clearly and simply. Make the standards easy for PEOPLE to find, understand, and apply.
Document Our STANDARDS - Coach
Explain, demonstrate, and practice the STANDARDS with PEOPLE. Check understanding, give feedback, and reinforce consistent application while learning where improvement is needed.
Ideal Market - Demographic Profile
Define who our ideal customers are, using the characteristics relevant to the PEOPLE or organizations we serve.
Ideal Market - Geographic Profile
Define where our ideal customers are and the locations we can serve effectively.
Ideal Market - Psychographic Profile
Understand what our ideal customers value, need, and prioritize, and how they make decisions.
JAM - Journey to the core
Look beneath the symptoms of an Agenda Item to understand what is really happening. Establish the central question or root cause before moving toward a solution.
JAM - Air it out
Bring relevant facts and perspectives into an Open and Honest discussion. Give everyone the opportunity to contribute, listen carefully, and avoid repeating points that have already been understood.
JAM - Mobilize the action
Agree the decision and the action needed to address the core concern. Name one owner for each action, define completion, and set the due date. Capture immediate actions as 7 Day Commitments and larger priorities as appropriate.
Purpose & Plan - Our Values
The essential beliefs expressed through the behaviors we expect of ourselves and one another. Our Shared Values guide decisions, relationships, and accountability, giving PEOPLE a clear understanding of how we work together and live our PURPOSE.
Purpose & Plan - Our Purpose
Defines why our organization exists, why we do what we do, and why anyone should care. It gives us a shared language for the difference we are here to make and a reason to lean in beyond collecting a paycheck. It describes a better future worth working toward, welcomes those who want to contribute, and puts service to others at its heart. Our Purpose endures as products, markets, and leaders change, giving PEOPLE something meaningful to believe in, act on, and keep advancing.
Purpose & Plan - Long-Term Aim
An ambitious, meaningful destination that gives the business a shared direction over the longer term. Connect it to Our Purpose and use it to guide the Three-Year Snapshot, The Year Ahead, and choices about where to invest effort.
Purpose & Plan - Our Customer Focus
A clear account of whom we serve and why they should choose us. Bring together our Ideal Market, Our Three Differentiators, Our Proven Process, and The Behavioral Guarantee so our promises, sales conversations, and customer experience align.
Purpose & Plan - Three-Year Snapshot
A clear picture of the business we intend to build over the next three years. Describe the intended RESULTS and what the business will look and operate like, connecting the Long-Term Aim to decisions in The Year Ahead.
Purpose & Plan - The Year Ahead
The business' plan for the coming year. Set expected financial and operational RESULTS, agree three to seven Goals For The Year, and identify clear ownership. Use the plan to choose quarterly Priority Projects and assess progress.
Purpose & Plan - Priority Projects
The three to seven most important priorities for the next 90 days at the business, team, or individual level. Define a clear outcome, one accountable owner, and a completion date. Choose projects that advance Goals For The Year and review progress in the Weekly Meeting.
Purpose & Plan - Agenda Items
The shared place to capture and prioritize matters that need attention. Keep Current items available for the Weekly Meeting and record Strategic items in Purpose & Plan. Review deliberately so important matters are addressed at the right time.
See It, Choose It, Carry It - See It
Understand the role, recognize how its work fits the business, and exercise the judgment its outcomes require. Explore understanding through real examples and situations so expectations and role fit are clear.
See It, Choose It, Carry It - Choose It
Actively choose the role and accept ownership of its responsibilities. Be clear about the work involved and whether the person wants to commit to delivering its outcomes.
See It, Choose It, Carry It - Carry It
Have the capability and capacity to deliver the role's outcomes. Assess the skills, experience, resources, and support required, and agree a practical development plan where gaps can be addressed.
The Five Leadership Levers - Align
Put roles, responsibilities, authority, and working relationships in place so PEOPLE can deliver RESULTS in service of PURPOSE. Adapt the Support Structure as the business grows.
The Five Leadership Levers - Anticipate
Look ahead and use what you know today to prepare for tomorrow. Connect STANDARDS to the RESULTS you expect, recognize obstacles early, and adjust before they become problems.
The Five Leadership Levers - Clarify
Make complexity understandable. Use A Thousand Into Five to understand challenges through PURPOSE, PEOPLE, STANDARDS, STRUCTURE, and RESULTS, then make clear what needs attention.
The Five Leadership Levers - Entrust
Place ownership with a clearly identified person, with authority that matches their accountability. Empower and Advance helps leaders equip PEOPLE to own outcomes while creating room for everyone to grow.
The Five Leadership Levers - Standardize
Turn what works into clear, repeatable practices. Make STANDARDS practical so PEOPLE know what good looks like and how to deliver it consistently.