Be Passionately
Curious

PRIORITISE SUBSTANTIAL LEAPS FORWARD EACH QUARTER.

The popular example of filling a jar with rocks, then sand, and finally water which fills and fits into the jar, while reversing the order does not leave enough room for the rocks, is the inspiration for this activity.

Most businesses are bogged down in day-to-day, short-term priorities, spending most of their days putting out fires, and find themselves in a quicksand phase of the business. All of their time is robbed by smaller water and sand tasks that seem urgent. To avoid this trap of always feeling like you are in quicksand up to your waist, you need to start making time for the rocks and understand just how much more important they are.

Rocks are strategic milestones that help move the company closer to its long-term goals and vision, while water and sand relate to delivery of products and services that contribute to revenue this quarter or year. Rocks may contribute to revenue this year, but they must improve long-term growth, durability and sustainability.

What to do:

❶ The company, each department, and individuals may have three to seven rocks per year, one to three per quarter. Describe rocks so that anyone in the company can understand what the rock is and whether or not it is achieved. So avoid jargon, simplify without leaving room for interpretation, and make it measurable. Identify first the company rocks.
❷ Next, determine if and how each department may contribute and identify its rocks.
❸ Then, assign individuals within each department to lead or contribute to the department’s rocks, or based on their role and tasks, you may split a rock into smaller rocks to enable the individuals within the department to deliver on hitting its quarterly rock(s).
❹ If you are using the 64-Chart or have other places within your system to align goals and priorities with annual, quarterly, and/or monthly priorities, these rocks should be clearly marked and included.