We have several critical strategic Rocks that we track on a quarterly basis, but we cannot figure out how to translate these long-term initiatives into weekly Scorecard metrics. How do we break down a complex, multi-month project into objective weekly numbers so we do not wait until week twelve to find out we are off track?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A common mistake is keeping Rocks and the weekly Scorecard completely separate. When you do this, Rocks get pushed to the last two weeks of the quarter, leading to rushed execution or missed deadlines. To prevent this, you must translate your quarterly Rocks into weekly milestone activities.

Every major Rock can be broken down into a series of predictable, repeatable actions. For example, if your Rock is to implement a new customer relationship management software, the weekly Scorecard metric should not be project complete. Instead, track the leading indicators of project progress.

You might track the number of software training modules completed by staff each week. Or you could track the number of data fields mapped from the old system to the new system.

If your Rock is to hire three new account managers, do not wait for the hires to happen. Put the leading recruiting activities on your weekly Scorecard. Track the number of qualified resumes screened, initial phone screens completed, or face-to-face interviews scheduled.

If your Rock is to write a new standard operating procedure manual, track the number of pages written or processes documented and approved each week.

By breaking down your quarterly goals into bite-sized weekly metrics, you create immediate visibility. If the weekly progress metric is red for two weeks in a row, you have an early warning system. You can immediately IDS® the issue in your Level 10 Meeting™ and get the Rock back on track long before the quarter ends.