EOS® Meeting Structure: Pros, Cons & Alternatives

The best humor is based on truth—like the mock advertisement I once saw that read: “Meetings: the creative alternative to work!” Anyone who’s spent time in business knows the feeling. Too often, meetings eat up hours that could’ve gone to actual progress.

But here’s the good news: meetings don’t have to be that way. When done right, they can sharpen focus, create accountability, and move a company forward. One of the most popular frameworks for doing this is the Level 10 Meeting™ by EOS®. These structured weekly meetings help leadership teams focus on what matters most: running the business.

So, are EOS meetings a good fit for your organization, or could another approach serve you better? Let’s look at the pros, cons, and some practical alternatives.

Understanding the EOS® Meeting Structure

EOS includes two main types of meetings: the weekly Level 10 Meeting™ (L10) and the Quarterly Meeting.

What Is a Level 10 Meeting™?

The L10 is a 90-minute weekly meeting focused on tactical, “run-the-business” issues. Each week follows the same agenda, which keeps the team aligned on performance metrics, quarterly goals, and current issues.

L10 Meeting Agenda

• Segue: A brief check-in to get everyone engaged.
• Scorecard: Review KPIs and key metrics.
• Rock Review: Update progress on quarterly company initiatives.
• Customer/Employee Headlines: Share important updates on clients or staff.
• To-Do List: Identify priorities for the coming week.
• IDS: Discuss problems using the “Identify–Discuss–Solve” method.
• Conclude: Wrap up and recap.
• Cascading Messages: Clarify who needs to be informed afterward.
• Rating: Each attendee rates the meeting 1–10, with the goal of reaching “Level 10.”

EOS® Quarterly Meetings, Explained

Quarterly meetings shift focus to working on the business, not in it. Teams assess progress on quarterly initiatives (Rocks), review the vision, set new goals, and address deeper issues.

Pros & Cons of the EOS® Meeting Structure

In general, the EOS meeting structure is helpful for many organizations.

The Pros

• Creates consistency: The weekly cadence builds communication and team cohesion.
• Provides structure: A set agenda eliminates guesswork and wasted time.
• Improves focus: Keeps leaders centered on the critical aspects of running the business.

The Cons

• Can become routine: Over time, some teams simply “go through the motions.”
• Requires strong facilitation: Without a skilled facilitator, discussions can drift.
• Meeting ratings can feel forced: The 1–10 scoring often loses meaning after a few weeks.

StratOp: A More Strategic Alternative to EOS®

EOS® gets a lot right, but it’s not the only approach to effective meetings. For leaders who want to blend structure with strategy, the StratOp process offers a more holistic rhythm for running and growing a business.

StratOp (short for Strategic Operations) helps companies propel growth and efficiency while keeping communication clear at every level.

StratOp Quarterly Meetings

After the StratOp process is implemented, quarterly meetings follow the Paterson Process, which begins with gathering perspective. From there, the team updates or creates plans and asks the critical question: “What’s Important Now?” This drives the next set of short-term action items.

Typical StratOp Quarterly Agenda

1. Perspective: Gather insights before planning.
2. Action Initiative Review: Assess progress on previous initiatives.
3. Four Helpful Lists: Discuss what’s right, wrong, confused, or missing.
4. Strategic Control Panel: Review the data.
5. Planning: Refine long-term objectives and strategies.
6. Action: Reset quarterly initiatives and schedule the next review.

Annual Renewal

StratOp’s annual meeting focuses on adaptation. The guiding question is, “What must change?” Over two days, teams revisit the full StratOp plan and incorporate lessons from the past year to reset direction and goals for the next.

Does StratOp Have Weekly Meetings?

Yes, but not in the rigid EOS format. StratOp’s Structure component addresses meeting cadence, but the weekly meeting style comes from The Table Group’s Death by Meeting framework.

This meeting keeps things simple:

• Start by setting the agenda.
• Focus only on tactical issues for the week.
• Save strategic topics for separate ad hoc or quarterly meetings.

The result is shorter, more focused meetings that respect everyone’s time.

Leadership Meeting Best Practices

No matter which structure you use—EOS, StratOp, or your own hybrid—the best meetings share a few timeless traits:

• Structure them: Set a monthly schedule and stick to consistent times and agendas.
• Facilitate well: Keep discussions on point and train your facilitators.
• Summarize clearly: End every meeting by confirming decisions and communication points.
• Assess regularly: Once a quarter, review your meeting cadence and make adjustments.

Make Your Meetings More Effective

If meeting fatigue is draining your team’s energy, it’s time to reset your approach. Whether you’re using EOS®, StratOp, or something in between, the goal is simple: make meetings work for you, not against you.

Contact us today—our team can help you evaluate your current meeting structure and design a rhythm that truly drives results.