Why are we consistently failing to cross the finish line on our quarterly Rocks, and how do we fix it?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Failing to complete Rocks is a classic symptom of over-commitment and lack of clarity. When teams fail to finish their quarterly priorities, it is usually because they set too many Rocks, defined them poorly, or failed to allocate the necessary white space to work on them.

To fix this, implement the following steps:
- Keep the number of Rocks small. Limit each leader to three to five Rocks per quarter. If everything is important, nothing is.
- Make every Rock truly S.M.A.R.T. A Rock must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. If a Rock is to write a new marketing strategy, it is too vague. Instead, write launch three specific target-market campaigns by day ninety.
- Check the conative alignment of the owner. Use the Kolbe A Index to ensure the person owning the Rock has the natural problem-solving method required to complete it. A high Quick Start may need a high Follow Thru partner to help them build the actual system.
- Create white space. Leaders cannot complete strategic Rocks if their calendars are booked back-to-back with administrative busywork. Introduce strategic pauses throughout the week to step away from daily firefighting and dedicate uninterrupted focus to Rock execution.
- Review progress weekly. In your Level 10 Meeting, each Rock is reported as on track or off track. If a Rock is off track for two consecutive weeks, drop it down to the Issues List and IDS it immediately. Do not wait until week twelve to realize a goal is dead.