Why Business Operating Systems Don’t Work…and How to Make Sure Yours Actually Does.
Let’s be honest: too many times a visionary rolls out a business operating system and it falls flat.
Not necessarily because the systems don’t work — but because the teams using them aren’t ready, aren’t aligned, or aren’t supported the right way.
Over the years, I’ve lived this on both sides. As a founder trying to scale a fast-growing company, I experienced the pain of people problems, misfiring meetings, and the challenges of turning my ideas and vision into a reality. I’ve also seen teams light up and accelerate their growth once they had the right operating system and the right guide.
So let’s talk about why business operating systems fail — and what you can do to avoid becoming another “we tried that, it didn’t work” story.
5 Reasons Business Operating Systems Fail
The Team Isn’t Bought In.
You can’t drag a team up the mountain and expect to reach the summit. If the leadership team is skeptical, disengaged, or just going through the motions, no operating system will truly stick. A system like Pinnacle only works when the team believes in the vision, embraces the tools, and commits to doing the work together. Without collective buy-in, even the best framework feels like an annoying layer, not a performance multiplier.
How to overcome this: Start with why. Help your team see how a business operating system can bring your vision to life, reduce fires, and eliminate friction — not add work, but unlock momentum. Make sure you have the right climbers on the team for the journey ahead.
There’s No Desire to Learn and Grow.
A business operating system is a tool for growth…not just for the company, but for the people in it. If the team resists feedback, avoids accountability, or doesn’t want to stretch into new ways of thinking and leading, then a system will feel threatening instead of empowering. The most powerful systems reward learners. If a team isn’t curious or coachable, the best you’ll get is compliance, not transformation.
How to overcome this: Nurture and reward a culture of learning and growth. Reinforce curiosity, candor, and coaching. Look for opportunities where you need to “level up” team members in order to reach a higher level of growth.
It’s Utilized Inconsistently or is Missing Crucial Components.
You can’t cherry-pick your way to making a system work well. Skipping weekly meetings, setting vague Rocks, or leaving vision work half-baked turns the system into a false promise. What starts with energy fizzles into frustration. Whether it’s EOS, Scaling Up, or Pinnacle, the impact comes from commitment and consistency. When teams pick and choose what’s comfortable, they can miss the breakthrough moments that only come from doing the whole work.
How to overcome this: commit to utilizing each component of the system as deep into the organization as possible. Have an internal champion on the team who leans into holding the team accountable to consistent usage of the system, keeps the cadence, and reminds the team why the climb matters.
It’s Not Fun or Flexible.
If it’s not fun, people quit. And if it’s not flexible, it breaks. Too many operating systems feel like a corporate straightjacket: too rigid, too repetitive, too soul-sucking. That’s where Pinnacle is different. We believe fun can be a competitive advantage. A system should energize your team, not exhaust them. It should adapt to your climb, not force you into someone else’s template.
How to overcome this: make it YOUR operating system. Customize it to be authentic to you, your team, and your vision for the company. Find ways to make it fun!
It’s Missing a Guide.
I’ve seen too many visionaries set out to go it alone. They read a book and then try to be the player, the coach, and everything in between. I know because that’s what I did at first too! After a few sessions where I was still learning the book and trying to wear multiple hats….CEO, participant, coach, business owners, etc., I made the decision to hire a Guide. Doing so helped me focus on being a participant on the same side of the table as my team, have my assumptions and blind spots challenged, and bring true expertise to the process of building our system.
How to overcome this: find a Guide who has experience using the system to build a business, understands how to take a concept and apply it in the “real” world, and can push you and your team to grow.
Why Does Pinnacle Work Where Others Don’t?
It’s designed to be fun, flexible, and customized to your company and team. We bring the right tool at the right moment to help you on your climb.
You are paired with a Guide who is an expert in their craft, has been in your shoes, and knows how to apply concepts and tools within the real world.
It is designed to help you focus on what matters. To break through ceilings to reach your Higher Peak.
Think You’re Ready?
If you think a business operating system might be helpful to you and your team in your journey, you’re probably right. With deliberate thought, you can make sure you harness the power of your operating system to grow, build value, and increase freedom for you and your team.
Take a Pinnacle Baseline Assessment to understand where your company is strong and identify areas that a business operating system can help improve
Schedule a Discovery Call with Anthony to learn more about Pinnacle and get started
