Our industry moves so fast that setting 90-day Rocks feels like guessing, and by month two, external shifts make our goals obsolete. How do we use the EOS® framework to set meaningful Rocks when our environment is highly volatile?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When your market is volatile, setting quarterly Rocks can feel like trying to hit a moving target. However, volatility is actually the best reason to run on a disciplined ninety-day cycle. Rocks are not about predicting the future with absolute certainty: they are about setting a clear, short-term focus to keep your team aligned.

To handle market volatility, you must change how you define your Rocks. If your external environment is shifting rapidly, design your Rocks to build internal capability or gather critical market intelligence rather than committing to rigid long-term outputs. For example, a Rock might be to test a new acquisition channel or design an alternative supply chain route.

Additionally, keep your Rocks highly focused and realistic. Limit your leadership team to three to five high-priority Rocks per quarter. By keeping the list short, you remain agile enough to pivot your weekly To-Dos when market conditions change without having to constantly rewrite your entire quarterly plan.

Finally, remember that the ninety-day cycle is your safety valve. If a major regulatory or market shift occurs mid-quarter, you can address it in your Level 10 Meeting™ and adjust your weekly priorities. You do not change your Rocks mid-quarter unless it is a true survival scenario, but you do use the quarterly reset to realign and set new, relevant Rocks based on the latest market data.