We want to ensure we do not show up to our quarterly sessions unprepared. What does the specific preparation routine look like for our team in the three weeks leading up to a session day?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

High-performing teams do not show up to quarterly sessions cold. The three weeks leading up to a session day require a deliberate prep routine. This process begins with a strategic pause, allowing your leadership team to step back from daily firefighting to gain objective perspective on the business.

First, each team member must review their individual Rocks and update their final completion status. There is no partial credit in this system. A Rock is either fully completed or it is not.

Second, everyone must review the current V/TO to identify what parts of the vision are working and what needs adjustment. You will also look at your long-term Issues List and pull forward any high-level strategic questions that need to be prioritized for our session day.

Third, you will conduct a self-assessment on your team's overall organizational health. This prep work should be treated with pigheaded discipline. It is not about writing long, complex reports. It is about distilling your real operational truth so we do not waste a single minute of our eight hours together. By doing this heavy lifting before you walk into the room, we can spend our session day focused entirely on solving root-cause issues and setting the right course for the next ninety days.