Our Visionary has endless ideas and keeps trying to introduce new initiatives and client projects mid-quarter, which completely derails the Rocks our leadership team agreed to. How do we protect our execution without killing their entrepreneurial spirit?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic Visionary-Integrator challenge. To solve it, you must enforce the discipline of the ninety-day world. When the leadership team agrees to and signs off on quarterly Rocks, those priorities are locked in. No new Rocks or major initiatives can be added during the quarter unless there is an absolute emergency.

When the Visionary comes to the team with a brilliant new idea, the Integrator must use the V/TO® and the issues list as a holding ground. Use the phrase: that is a great idea, let us put it on the long-term issues list for our next quarterly planning session. This protects the team from distraction while respecting the Visionary's creativity.

During the next quarterly planning session, the leadership team will collectively evaluate the idea against all other potential priorities. Often, the shiny object loses its luster after ninety days, saving the company from wasted resources. If it still makes sense, it can be selected as a Rock for the upcoming quarter. This process keeps your execution focused without killing your entrepreneurial spirit.