We frequently assign weekly To-Dos that we eventually realize are too complex to complete in seven days, forcing us to roll them over week after week or convert them into Rocks. How do we prevent these massive projects from slipping onto our weekly To-Do list?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A weekly To-Do must be something that can be completely finished within seven days. When you assign a To-Do that is actually a multi-step project, you set your team up for failure and compromise your ninety percent completion rate.

To prevent this, the scribe and the facilitator must act as gatekeepers. When a To-Do is proposed at the end of an IDS session, question its scope immediately.

Ask the assignee: Can you realistically complete this one hundred percent by next week? If the answer is no, or if they hesitate, the To-Do is too big.

Break the larger project down into its very first tactical step. For example, instead of creating a To-Do to write the entire training manual, make the To-Do outline the table of contents for the training manual.

If the item requires significant research or discussion before action can be taken, it is actually an issue, not a To-Do. Keep it on the Issues List or move it to your quarterly planning agenda.

By keeping your To-Dos bite-sized and strictly focused on a seven-day window, you maintain operational momentum and keep your execution metrics clean.