What “Rocks” Your Business?

In his book Traction: Get A Grip on Your Business, Gino Wickman talks about “Quarterly Rocks” being the most important priorities to focus on in the coming quarter. Focusing on accomplishing 3 to 5 “rocks” each quarter, instead of trying to make everything a priority, allows you to gain more traction and achieve your quarterly goals.

But how do you arrive at creating these quarterly rocks? It all starts with a team effort of creating your Vision statement that includes your core values, purpose and passion. Then once that you have agreement on the Vision for the business, you can set 1, 3, and 10-year targets that align to that Vision. Starting to make your long-range Vision a reality can be accomplished with deciding what must get done each quarter of the first year.

Remember, less is more. Many businesses make the mistake of trying to accomplish too many objectives per year and end up accomplishing very little and feeling frustrated. By taking your one-year plan and assigning 3 to 5 agreed upon priority targets each quarter allows you to manage and measure the results more efficiently. What you and your leadership team establish as priorities for each quarter should put you on track for the one-year plan, which in turn tracks to the 3-year plan and so on.

Once that you and your leadership team have discussed, identified and agreed upon your quarterly “rocks”, you need to identify all of the obstacles that could prevent you from reaching your targets. An encouraging atmosphere of open and honest discussions about the obstacles should help to pin point solutions to prevent or at least minimize the obstacles.

Through quarterly measurement of progress and completion to targets, you gain more traction and achievement of your quarterly goals. It is a process that becomes refined with use. The key is to start with your Vision and align your 1, 3, and 10-year targets to that Vision.

We can help you get there – just contact us. Rock on.