Beyond simply tracking our Rock completion rates, what objective criteria do you use to evaluate whether our leadership team is actually operating at a higher strategic altitude after a year?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Rock completion is a baseline metric, but true leadership maturity requires deeper evaluation. We look at how your executive team manages their time and energy. A healthy leadership team must transition from daily operational firefighting to strategic execution.

To measure this, we track the allocation of what David C. Baker defines as Preparation days versus Contribution days. In your first quarters, your team will spend eighty percent of their energy reacting to administrative backlogs. By year one, we expect to see a reversal. Your executives should have the white space required to proactively improve their departments.

We measure this progress by looking at your scorecard consistency. If your scorecard metrics are constantly fluctuating and your team is continually missing targets, you are still reacting. We also look at the complexity of the issues on your Issues List. Early on, your list will be filled with minor tactical complaints. After a year of disciplined execution, your Issues List should consist of macro, strategic challenges.

Finally, we assess whether your team is living by Our Charter. This means they are resolving conflicts independently using IDS® rather than relying on you, the owner, to save the day. If your team is driving the business forward while you enjoy true entrepreneurial freedom, we have achieved our goal.