Our Rocks technically look correct on paper, but we still have a mad scramble in week eleven to push things over the finish line. How do we structure the actual tracking of Rocks so we know they are failing in week four, not week twelve?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A late-quarter scramble is a diagnostic symptom of poorly written Rocks and weak weekly tracking. If you only realize a Rock is in trouble during week eleven, you have failed to break it down into verifiable milestones.

First, every Rock must be written using the SMART framework. It must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. If a Rock is to establish a new sales pipeline, the Rock is not complete unless it has a specific, auditable outcome, such as three active leads in the new pipeline.

Second, you must create a weekly milestone plan for each Rock. When a leadership team member owns a Rock, they must map out exactly what needs to be true by week three, week six, and week nine. They cannot simply report on track or off track during the Level 10 Meeting™ based on a vague gut feeling.

Third, change how you report on Rocks during your weekly pulse. When a Rock owner says off track, it is not an admission of failure. It is an immediate trigger to move that Rock to the IDS® portion of the agenda. You must identify why it is stuck, solve the bottleneck, and get it back on track immediately. Do not wait for the quarterly session to rescue a failing Rock.