We just completed our annual planning session, but we realized we only completed forty percent of our Rocks from the previous quarter. How do we reset our expectations and set realistic Rocks for the upcoming quarter without demoralizing the team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Failing to achieve your quarterly Rocks can be highly discouraging, especially when you are transitioning from your annual planning session. If your leadership team only completed forty percent of their goals, you must diagnose the breakdown before setting new targets.

The most common reason for failed Rocks is setting too many of them. When everything is important, nothing is important. For the upcoming quarter, limit your team to no more than three to five corporate Rocks. Ensure each leadership team member has only one or two individual Rocks.

Next, look at how the Rocks were defined. Were they specific, measurable, and realistic? A Rock like improve marketing is a recipe for failure. Instead, use a clear metric, such as generate fifty new sales leads by the end of the quarter.

The Integrator must also ensure that Rocks are reviewed every week during the Level 10 Meeting. If a Rock is off track for two consecutive weeks, it must be moved to the issues list and resolved using IDS.

Do not lower your standards, but be realistic about your team's capacity. By narrowing your focus and improving your weekly tracking, you will rebuild your team's confidence and establish the momentum needed to hit your targets.