Our quarterly Rocks keep looking like a long checklist of basic daily tasks instead of strategic, business-building priorities. How do we draw a clear line between what is a Rock and what is simply a standard job requirement for a seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A common trap for leadership teams is turning their quarterly Rocks into a list of daily job duties. When your Rocks are just things like hire a salesperson or close monthly books, you are not actually driving the business forward. You are just listing your daily operational expectations.

To keep your Rocks strategic, you must separate standard job requirements from special priorities. A standard job requirement is something covered by the five bullet points of a seat on the Accountability Chart. These are ongoing, day-to-day responsibilities that are measured by your weekly Scorecard.

A Rock is a specific, measurable priority that requires dedicated focus over the next ninety days to improve the business, solve a systemic problem, or move you closer to your 1-Year Plan. It should represent something above and beyond daily business-as-usual operations.

Use the twenty-hour rule. If a priority takes less than twenty hours of total work over the quarter, it is not a Rock. It is a To-Do that should be tracked on your Level 10 Meeting™ agenda.

If a department head claims they cannot achieve their Rocks because they are too busy doing their job, they either lack capacity or do not GWC™ their seat. Keep your standard responsibilities on the scorecard, and reserve your Rocks for true business-building execution.