We have completed our V/TO® but our managers still make daily operational decisions that contradict our long-term goals. How do we turn the V/TO® into an active filter for daily choices?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A completed V/TO® is useless if it sits in a file share. If your managers are making decisions that contradict your Core Focus® or Target Market, it means they do not know how to use the document as a filter. To make the V/TO® active, you must bring it into every major decision-making process. When a manager brings a new project idea or a potential client to the table, the first question should always be which part of the V/TO® does this support. If the opportunity does not fit your Core Focus® or appeal to your target market, the answer is a firm no. This is not about being rigid. It is about maintaining your focus so you can scale. You must also review the V/TO® during every quarterly planning meeting and use it to filter the issues list. If an issue does not align with your 3-Year Picture™ or 10-Year Target™, it gets archived or dropped. When your team sees you using the V/TO® to kill off distractions, they will learn to do the same. Eventually, they will start filtering their own ideas before they even bring them to you, keeping the entire organization aligned.