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The ultimate EOS Annual Planning guide for 2026

Looking to run your best annual planning session yet? EOS® Annual Planning helps leadership teams pause, align, and build a clear, actionable plan for the year ahead. Below you’ll find your roadmap for setting priorities, solving issues, and driving accountability across the organization.

By following the EOS Process® Powered by Ninety, you’ve got the blueprint to make 2026 your best year yet.

In this guide:

What is it?

Every great year begins with a great plan

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EOS Annual Planning is a two-day strategic session where leadership teams assess the past year, realign their vision, and set clear priorities for the year ahead. It’s grounded in the Vision/Traction Organizer® (V/TO®), ensuring teams stay focused on who they are, where they’re going, and what needs to happen next.

During this session, teams review and reset their 10-Year Target™, 3-Year Picture™, 1-Year Plan, and Rocks. This isn’t about rehashing strategy, it’s about making sure the vision is clear, actionable and achievable.

Ninety’s Annual Planning follows the EOS Proven Process®, with Senior Leadership Teams (SLTs) dedicating two days to align on strategy and execution. Departmental Leadership Teams (DLTs) contribute through a pre-session for input and a follow-up to cascade the plan. The result is clarity on what winning looks like, anchored by 90-Day Rocks and reinforced through weekly Level 10 Meetings™ that connect daily work to long-term goals.

Statistics

The stats don’t lie.
The impact of EOS Annual Planning.

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Companies with documented business plans grow 30% faster. (Journal of Management Studies)

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71% of fast-growing companies have strategic plans, business plans, or similar long-range planning tools in place. (Journal of Small Business Management and Bplans)

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Entrepreneurs with a business plan are 129% more likely to push forward with their business beyond the initial startup phase and grow it. (Small Business Economics and Bplans)

The Process

Don’t let Annual Planning turn into wishful thinking

Whether your company is in survival mode or scaling fast, Annual Planning isn’t optional if you’re serious about building a great organization. The EOS Process® gives you a clear structure to reflect, reset, and refocus for the year ahead. But without the right tools, even the best planning sessions can drift into vague goals and missed follow-through.

“At first, I got anxious about the time and money we were spending on Annual Planning. Now I get anxious if we even consider skipping it.” — Adam Tubbs, CEO/Integrator, FIT Technologies

At Ninety, we take the guesswork out of the process. Our software helps you prep with purpose, lead a high-impact session, and most importantly, cascade your Annual Plan into real, achievable 90-day priorities. No fluff, just a clear plan your team can actually execute.

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Prep the team
Before you walk into the room, the work has already started. Preparation ensures your Annual Planning is focused, not reactive. Each member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) should arrive ...

Before you walk into the room, the work has already started. Preparation ensures your Annual Planning is focused, not reactive. Each member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) should arrive informed, aligned, and ready to make big decisions.

What to prep in Ninety

Org Assessment
Complete the Org Assessment to gauge strength in the Six Key Components®.

Rocks and Issues
Encourage each SLT member to submit key Issues and potential Rocks. This forms the basis of your strategic discussions and helps surface what’s holding you back — or what’s possible next.

Data
Enter actuals of key measurables from the Quarterly Scorecard.

Team Health
Facilitator should choose and prepare for the appropriate Team Health exercise.

Run the session
Run the session
Your 2-day Annual Planning session is where alignment happens. It’s a strategic offsite that moves your team from where you are to where you want to go — backed by data, honesty, and a ...

Your 2-day Annual Planning session is where alignment happens. It’s a strategic offsite that moves your team from where you are to where you want to go — backed by data, honesty, and a repeatable framework powered by Ninety.

Day 1: Reflect & RENEW

Know and reflect on your Team and Company with Team Health, Org Assessment, and SWOT exercises

Review and update as needed the V/TO® — confirming Vision, Core Values, and Core Focus™

Set your 3-Year Picture™

Day 2: Set the Plan

Define the 1-Year Plan and set Rocks

Use IDS® to prioritize and solve Issues

Confirm what’s next for cascading the plan to the rest of your organization

Cascade the plan
Cascade the plan
A plan is only as good as its rollout. Cascading ensures every team and individual knows the vision — and their role in achieving it. Department Annual Planning Each team reviews decisions from ...

A plan is only as good as its rollout. Cascading ensures every team and individual knows the vision — and their role in achieving it.

Department Annual Planning
Each team reviews decisions from the Leadership Annual Planning, creates its own Rocks that support the company-level goals, and tackles key issues to ensure progress.

State of the Company
Host an all-hands meeting with the whole company to share progress on the Vision, announce annual priorities, and celebrate past wins. Use this to build energy and reinforce culture.

Quarterly Reviews
Managers hold Quarterly Conversations or Reviews using the People Analyzer™ or 1 on 1 tool in Ninety. These conversations focus on values alignment, performance, and growth.

Weekly Level 10 Meetings™
Keep every team on track using Ninety’s weekly Level 10 Meetings. Review Rocks, Scorecards, and solve Issues — consistently to hit your goals.

Pro Tip

Use Ninety to build SMART Rocks using Maz so everyone’s Rocks are well thought through and consistent across the company.

 

Free Toolkit

Download your free EOS Annual Planning Toolkit

With this checklist and agenda in hand, your team can confidently host structured, productive planning meetings. You’ll ensure nothing gets overlooked, everyone stays aligned, and next year’s goals become actionable—not just aspirational.

Download the toolkit

Team Health Activities

Since people rarely work alone, the health of your team is paramount. Like an individual’s physical health, team health does not maintain or improve by itself. It requires attention, effort, and commitment. That’s why you should engage in a couple of team exercises to strengthen those bonds. Here are a few team health exercises we like, but of course, find the ones that fit you best:

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Personal History

In this exercise, each team member answers 5–7 personal history questions. The questions are relatively mild, but they tend to bring people together as everyone shares about their lives outside of work.

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Five Dysfunctions of a Team

This exercise created by Patrick Lencioni is described in his best-selling book by the same name. Though it may seem a bit uncomfortable, it’s designed to increase trust among team members.

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The 4Hs Exercise

The 4Hs exercise allows each team member to go deeper sharing something most don’t know, a disappointment in the past, someone who you admire/thankful for, and something you look forward to. History, Heartbreak, Hero, Hope.This helps teams get to know each other and go beyond the surface level interactions.

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The “One Thing” Exercise

Here, each team member identifies an admirable trait of every other team member and recommends one thing they would like that person to either start or stop doing for the benefit of the entire team. The result is each team member promises to start or stop doing one thing from that feedback and becomes accountable for that promise.

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Sustain momentum beyond Annual Planning

After completing your full Annual Planning cycle — from your Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Departmental Leadership Team (DLT) sessions to your State of the Company Meeting — you’ve built a strong, agreements-based foundation for the year. But setting the vision is only the beginning. Now, the real work begins: execution.

That’s where the 90-Day World® comes in.

The discipline of holding Quarterly Planning Meetings at both the SLT and DLT levels — followed by a company-wide State of the Company — creates a consistent rhythm that keeps your goals visible, your teams aligned, and your organization moving forward with purpose.

Quarterly cadence isn’t optional; it’s what turns intention into Traction.®

Data is also critical. As EOS teaches, what gets measured gets done. Review your Scorecard, assess your performance against key Measurables™, and be willing to IDS® when things go off track. Data creates clarity. And clarity gives you the confidence to adapt, stay focused, and ensure that your entire organization remains accountable to what matters most.

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Pro tip

Not sure where to start with your data? EOS Powered by Ninety has pre-populated KPIs directly in the annual and quarterly meetings tool as a starting point.

Annual Planning Masterclass

Why Plans Fail and How to Fix Them

Join our focused session to learn how to start executing strategies that actually drive results. You’ll walk away with the insights and tools needed to align your team, reset your vision, and build a plan that gets Traction every 90 days.

  • Date: November 5th, 2025
  • Time: 2:00PM EST
  • Where: Virtual (Zoom)

Save your seat

Tips and tools

Make Annual Planning easier — and more impactful

Annual Planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right tools, clear concepts, and disciplined structure, it becomes a powerful experience. Before diving in, learn how the Assessments Tool can set the stage for success. The key is knowing where your organization stands before you begin.

That’s where Ninety’s Org Assessment comes in. It provides a clear snapshot of your organization’s maturity across the 6 Key Components™ every great company must master. It’s a fast, insightful way to prepare for Annual Planning and ensures your session is grounded in reality, not assumption.

When it’s time to roll up your sleeves, Ninety’s platform gives you everything you need. Our Meetings tool includes a pre-built, customizable agenda that aligns with the EOS Meeting Pulse, perfect for your Senior Leadership Team’s Annual and Quarterly Planning Sessions, and Level 10 Meetings™. The result? A unified rhythm across the entire organization that keeps everyone focused, aligned, and moving forward.

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Define Measurables

Decide the measurables that are beneficial for your team to track on the Quarterly and Annual Scorecard.

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Import Historical Data

Add 1–3 years’ worth of previous data to those KPIs. (Our pre-populated list of KPIs comes in handy here.)

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Review Department Goals

Have the SLT review each department’s goals, Rocks, and Issues impacting annual targets.

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Forecast Upcoming Year

Use the forecasting tool in the Scorecard to forecast your goals by quarter for the upcoming year.

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Prepare Strategic Data

During your annual, you should have the data ready for your strategic discussions.

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Track and Discuss

Before each subsequent quarterly meeting, you’ll enter the actual numbers and discuss.

Professional Services Team

Ready to lead your best Annual Planning session yet?

Great leadership teams know that preparation is half the battle. If you want to walk into your session focused and confident, our Professional Services team is here to help — from tightening up your V/TO to facilitating your Team Health Exercise.

Learn more
Connect with us

Resources

The content to power your Annual Plan

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Toolkit

Plan with confidence

Download our free Annual Planning checklist and agenda.

Download
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Brief

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)

This brief shows how SWOT analysis aligns strategy with goals.

Learn more
align

Blog

Annual Planning with EOS®: How to Align Your Team for Success

A concise guide to using EOS® annual planning to align your team and set a clear vision for the year ahead.

Read more
how-to

Blog

How to Create an Annual Plan in 5 Steps

The article outlines five steps to create a focused, data-driven annual plan.

Read more
eos-vision

Blog

EOS Vision: The 8 Questions That Drive Business Clarity

The article outlines eight questions to clarify and align your company’s vision.

Read more
eos-rocks

Blog

Using EOS Rocks to Break Departmental Ceilings

The article shows how aligning EOS “Rocks” across teams breaks silos and boosts organizational focus.

Read more
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Faq

Your Annual Planning questions answered

  • There is no right or wrong answer here. Some companies start the annual planning process and then do the budgeting. Other companies choose the opposite approach. While we think it’s a good idea to at least have a draft of the annual budget before meeting on your annual plan, do what works best for you.

  • Scrambling to meet your key numbers at the end of every quarter and hoping for success isn’t a sustainable practice for companies that want to grow. Your annual planning process helps your leaders devise — and align upon — a comprehensive strategy that details the specific actions, goals, and milestones your organization wants to achieve not only in the year ahead but also the longer-term goals that support your vision.

  • Most companies follow a calendar-based timeline, so annual planning usually kicks off in October. However, we have clients that hold their Annual Planning Meetings as late as February. If your company follows a fiscal year (such as a retail organization), the general rule of thumb is to begin annual planning 2–3 months before the new fiscal year starts.

  • Senior Leadership Teams should give themselves two full days for annual planning, and Departmental Leadership Teams should allocate a day. Both types of teams need to have ample time to align on past accomplishments, future goals, and team health. That said, depending on the size and maturity of your organization, you might not need a full two days.

  • Annual Planning Meetings not only involve setting the stage for the upcoming year and updating 3-year goals but should also include other exercises that help teams focus, align, and thrive. These exercises usually include a SWOT review as well as some quality work on team health. Quarterly Planning Meetings, on the other hand, are centered on how we are doing in terms of making progress on our 1-year goals and setting 90-day goals. They serve as an effective reminder of the things that still need to be done.

  • No, departments also have meetings to craft their plan for the year. Unlike the leadership annual meeting, which should take two days, a departmental annual meeting can likely be accomplished in a day. Each of your departments’ plans should align with, and be in support of, the company’s goals, so some of the heavy lifting has already been done for you.

Try Ninety

The all-in-one platform for high-performing Annual Meetings.

Run your annual meetings in Ninety and gain alignment throughout your company by having the elements of that plan available for all to see, all in one centralized place. Our cloud-based platform lets you memorialize your vision and capture Data, Rocks, Issues, and more. Ninety offers a complete suite of business-building tools, plus the concepts and disciplines needed to help simplify the hard work of building a great company.

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