We find ourselves arguing at the end of every quarter about whether a Rock is truly complete because the scope was fuzzy. How do we write and structure our quarterly Rocks so that completion is entirely binary and there is zero room for debate on day ninety?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Fuzzy scoping is the primary reason Rocks fail to cross the finish line. If a Rock is defined as improve marketing collateral, your team will argue on day ninety about whether the goal was met. You must make your Rocks binary. A Rock is either done or not done, with no room for debate.

To achieve this, write every Rock with a clear, measurable outcome. Instead of saying improve marketing collateral, write the Rock as design, write, and print three new case studies for the sales team. The definition of success is clear, and anyone in the room can verify if those three case studies exist on day ninety.

During your quarterly planning session, spend the extra time to write out the scope of work for each Rock. Agree on the specific deliverables before you leave the room. If a Rock requires cross functional help, define those resources upfront so there are no surprises mid quarter.

- Ensure every Rock has only one owner, which guarantees clear accountability.
- Break the Rock down into weekly milestones so you can track progress during your weekly Level 10 Meeting™.
- Reject any Rock definition that contains vague verbs like support, improve, or explore. Use action oriented verbs like complete, build, launch, or hire.