Ceos Kickoff

Sync before use: Once you find the CEOS root, run git -C <ceos_root> pull --ff-only --quiet 2>/dev/null to get the latest data from teammates. If it fails (conflict or offline), continue silently with local data.

Key Files

Kickoff Sequence

The EOS implementation follows a specific cadence:

1. Focus Day — Day 1. Introduces all EOS tools, creates initial drafts. Typically a full-day session.
2. Vision Building Day 1 — ~30 days later. Deep dive into the Vision component. Half to full day.
3. Vision Building Day 2 — ~30 days after VB Day 1. Completes the V/TO, sets first formal Rocks. Half to full day.

After all three sessions, the company transitions into the regular EOS rhythm: weekly L10s, quarterly planning, annual planning.

File Naming

• focus-day-YYYY-MM-DD.md — Focus Day session
• vb-day-1-YYYY-MM-DD.md — Vision Building Day 1
• vb-day-2-YYYY-MM-DD.md — Vision Building Day 2

All files are saved in data/meetings/kickoff/.

Process

This skill has three modes. Ask which session the user wants to run.

Mode 1: Focus Day

The first full-day session when starting EOS.

1. Setup

1. Ask for the date (default: today) and attendees.
2. Check for existing Focus Day files: glob data/meetings/kickoff/focus-day-*.md.
   • If found, ask: "A Focus Day session already exists ([date]). Open to review, append notes, or start fresh?"
3. Check for existing V/TO: read data/vision.md.
   • If populated, note: "V/TO already has content. Focus Day typically runs when first starting EOS. Continue anyway?"
4. Read the template: read templates/focus-day.md.
5. Replace placeholders (date, attendees) and start the session.

2. Welcome & EOS Overview

Walk through the Six Key Components of EOS:

• Vision — Get everyone on the same page
• People — Right people, right seats
• Data — Manage by a Scorecard, not feelings
• Issues — IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve)
• Process — Document the core processes
• Traction — Rocks + Meeting Pulse

Capture team expectations and commitment notes.

3. V/TO Introduction

This is a first pass — capture initial thoughts, not final decisions:

• Core Values brainstorm (3-7 candidates)
• Core Focus first draft (Purpose + Niche)
• 10-Year Target initial idea

Note: "These will be refined and finalized in Vision Building Days 1 and 2."

4. Accountability Chart Draft

Guide the team through building the initial org structure:

1. Define major functions (seats) — focus on the structure, not the people
2. Assign 5 key roles per seat
3. Place people into seats — mark where "Right Person, Right Seat" evaluation is needed

If data/accountability.md already exists, read it and build on it.

5. Initial Rocks Brainstorm

Brainstorm priorities for the current quarter:

1. Ask: "What quarter are we in?" (set the {{quarter}} placeholder)
2. Brainstorm 10-20 Rock candidates
3. Narrow to company's top 3-7
4. Assign owners

Note: "These Rocks are preliminary. They'll be formalized in VB Day 2 after the full vision is set."

6. Scorecard Discussion

Introduce the weekly Scorecard concept:

1. Explain: "5-15 numbers that tell the health of your business at a glance"
2. Brainstorm initial metrics
3. Assign owners and set weekly goals

7. L10 Preview

Introduce the Level 10 Meeting format:

1. Walk through the 7-section L10 agenda (5-5-5-5-5-60-5 minutes)
2. Schedule the first L10 meeting (day, time, location)

8. Conclude & Save

1. Summarize key outcomes from each section.
2. Set dates for Vision Building Day 1 (~30 days) and Vision Building Day 2 (~60 days).
3. Capture immediate action items.
4. Show the complete file and get approval.
5. Save to data/meetings/kickoff/focus-day-YYYY-MM-DD.md.

Suggest: "Use ceos-accountability to formalize the Accountability Chart. Use ceos-scorecard to set up the formal Scorecard."

Mode 2: Vision Building Day 1

Deep dive into the Vision component of the V/TO. Typically ~30 days after Focus Day.

1. Setup

1. Ask for the date and attendees.
2. Check for prior Focus Day: glob data/meetings/kickoff/focus-day-*.md.
   • If not found, warn: "No Focus Day session found. VB Day 1 typically follows a Focus Day. Continue anyway?"
   • If found, read it for context (prior V/TO drafts, Core Values brainstorm, etc.).
3. Check for existing VB Day 1 files: glob data/meetings/kickoff/vb-day-1-*.md.
   • If found, ask: "A VB Day 1 session already exists ([date]). Open to review, append notes, or start fresh?"
4. Read the template: read templates/vb-day-1.md.
5. Replace placeholders and start.

2. Core Values Definition

Guide the team through the Core Values discovery exercise:

1. Speech exercise: "If you had to give a speech about what makes [Company] great, who would you point to as the embodiment? Why?"
2. From the Focus Day brainstorm, refine to 3-7 final Core Values.
3. Define each value — one sentence that explains it in your company's language.
4. Add example behaviors for each value.
5. People Filter Test: Do these values help you hire, fire, and review?

3. Core Focus Clarification

Finalize the two elements of Core Focus:

1. Purpose / Cause / Passion: Why does this organization exist beyond making money?
2. Niche: What do you do better than anyone else? What's your sweet spot?
3. Validation: Is it simple? Does it energize? Does it filter opportunities?

4. 10-Year Target Setting

Set the one big goal:

1. Review the Focus Day draft if available.
2. Make it specific and measurable.
3. Gut check: Exciting? Measurable? Actually 10 years out?

5. Marketing Strategy

Walk through the Four Marketing Strategy Uniques:

1. Target Market: Geographic, Demographic, Psychographic, The List (top 10-20 prospects)
2. Three Uniques: What combination of three things differentiates you from ALL competitors?
3. Proven Process: Name your process. Break it into 3-7 steps.
4. Guarantee: What brand promise can you make?

6. Conclude & Save

1. Summarize decisions from each section.
2. Set date for Vision Building Day 2 (~30 days).
3. Assign pre-VB2 action items (share Core Values with team, test Marketing Strategy).
4. Show the complete file and get approval.
5. Save to data/meetings/kickoff/vb-day-1-YYYY-MM-DD.md.

Suggest: "Use ceos-vto to formalize the Vision component (Core Values, Core Focus, 10-Year Target, Marketing Strategy) into data/vision.md."

Mode 3: Vision Building Day 2

Complete the V/TO and set the first formal Rocks. Typically ~30 days after VB Day 1.

1. Setup

1. Ask for the date and attendees.
2. Check for prior VB Day 1: glob data/meetings/kickoff/vb-day-1-*.md.
   • If not found, warn: "No VB Day 1 session found. VB Day 2 typically follows VB Day 1. Continue anyway?"
   • If found, read it for context (Core Values, Core Focus, 10-Year Target, Marketing Strategy).
3. Also read the Focus Day file if available: glob data/meetings/kickoff/focus-day-*.md.
4. Check for existing VB Day 2 files: glob data/meetings/kickoff/vb-day-2-*.md.
   • If found, ask: "A VB Day 2 session already exists ([date]). Open to review, append notes, or start fresh?"
5. Read the template: read templates/vb-day-2.md.
6. Replace placeholders and start.

2. 3-Year Picture

Paint a vivid picture of the company in 3 years:

1. Revenue, profit, headcount targets.
2. Narrative description: "What does the company look like? Culture? Products? Market position?"
3. 3-5 measurables with current state and 3-year targets.

3. 1-Year Plan

Set specific goals for this year:

1. Revenue, profit, headcount targets for the year.
2. 3-7 goals that move toward the 3-Year Picture.
3. Each goal should be measurable with a clear owner.

4. Quarterly Rocks Setting

Set the first formal Rocks:

1. Ask: "What quarter are we in?"
2. Set 3-7 company Rocks — each must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely).
3. Set individual Rocks for each leadership team member (1-3 each).
4. Alignment check: Every Rock should connect to a 1-Year Goal.
5. Review the Focus Day Rock brainstorm — some may carry forward, others may have changed.

5. Issues List Brainstorm

Surface all issues:

1. Brain dump — everything on everyone's mind. Quantity over quality.
2. Categorize by EOS component (Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, Traction).
3. Prioritize (H/M/L) — but don't solve. Issues get worked through in L10 meetings.

6. Conclude & Save

1. Summarize all V/TO sections and their completion status.
2. Review the V/TO completion checklist — all 8 sections should now have content.
3. Capture action items for formalizing decisions into CEOS data files.
4. Show the complete file and get approval.
5. Save to data/meetings/kickoff/vb-day-2-YYYY-MM-DD.md.

Suggest follow-up skills:

• "Use ceos-vto to formalize the complete V/TO into data/vision.md."
• "Use ceos-rocks to create formal Rock files in data/rocks/."
• "Use ceos-ids to enter issues into data/issues/open/."
• "Use ceos-scorecard to finalize Scorecard metrics."
• "Use ceos-accountability to finalize the Accountability Chart."

Output Format

During session: Progressive display of each agenda section. Fill in the template section-by-section as the team works through it.

Before saving: Show the complete file content and get explicit approval before writing.

File format: Markdown with YAML frontmatter (date, attendees, location). Follows the template structure with tables for structured data and checklists for action items.

Guardrails

• Always show the complete file before writing. Never create or modify a kickoff session file without showing it and getting approval.
• Don't auto-invoke other skills. Mention ceos-vto, ceos-rocks, ceos-scorecard, ceos-ids, ceos-accountability, and ceos-l10 as follow-up tools, but let the user decide when to use them.
• Kickoff captures decisions; component skills formalize them. Never write directly to data/vision.md, data/rocks/, data/accountability.md, data/scorecard/, or data/issues/. Record decisions in the session file, then suggest the appropriate skill for formalization.
• Warn on out-of-sequence sessions. If VB Day 1 is run without a prior Focus Day, or VB Day 2 without VB Day 1, warn but allow. Some companies work with EOS Implementors who guide the process differently.
• Don't enforce timing constraints. Sessions are typically ~30 days apart, but don't block if they're closer or further apart.
• Cross-reference existing data. Read prior session files, V/TO, Rocks, and Accountability Chart when available. Build on what exists rather than starting from scratch.
• Sensitive strategic data warning. On first use in a session, remind the user: "Kickoff session notes contain sensitive strategic data. Ensure your CEOS repo is private."
• All leadership must attend. If the attendees list seems smaller than expected compared to data/accountability.md, note: "Some leadership team members may be missing from the attendee list."

Integration Notes

V/TO (ceos-vto)

• Read: ceos-kickoff reads data/vision.md to check if a V/TO already exists (Focus Day setup). VB Day 1 and VB Day 2 decisions are captured in session files, not written directly to the V/TO.
• Suggest: After VB Day 1 and VB Day 2, suggest using ceos-vto to formalize vision decisions into data/vision.md.

Rocks (ceos-rocks)

• Read: ceos-kickoff reads data/rocks/ to check for existing Rocks during setup. Focus Day brainstorms preliminary Rocks; VB Day 2 sets formal Rocks.
• Suggest: After VB Day 2, suggest using ceos-rocks to create formal Rock files.

Scorecard (ceos-scorecard)

• Read: ceos-kickoff reads data/scorecard/ to check for existing metrics. Focus Day introduces the Scorecard concept and brainstorms initial metrics.
• Suggest: After Focus Day, suggest using ceos-scorecard to formalize metrics.

Accountability Chart (ceos-accountability)

• Read: ceos-kickoff reads data/accountability.md to check for existing chart during Focus Day. The Accountability Chart draft is captured in the Focus Day session file.
• Suggest: After Focus Day, suggest using ceos-accountability to formalize the chart.

IDS (ceos-ids)

• Read: ceos-kickoff reads data/issues/open/ to check for existing issues. VB Day 2 brainstorms the initial Issues List.
• Suggest: After VB Day 2, suggest using ceos-ids to enter issues.

L10 (ceos-l10)

• Reference: Focus Day previews the L10 format and schedules the first L10. After the kickoff sequence is complete, the team transitions to the weekly L10 rhythm.
• Suggest: After Focus Day, suggest using ceos-l10 to run the first Level 10 meeting.

Orchestration Principle

ceos-kickoff is a one-time orchestrator for the EOS implementation sequence. Session files at data/meetings/kickoff/ capture the leadership team's decisions; individual skills (ceos-vto, ceos-rocks, ceos-scorecard, ceos-accountability, ceos-ids) handle the formal data artifacts. The kickoff skill reads from many sources for context but writes only to its own directory.