Define 2-3 rocks each quarter to stay focused and gain traction
Recently I attended a workshop hosted by Agility 3 that reminded me of the importance of “rocks”. The idea from EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) is to break down the planning process into 90-day blocks and for each quarter have 2-3 rocks to focus on during that period to gain traction toward your goals.
In our hectic world, it is easy to get caught up in a busyness trap. When I am in this trap, I feel stressed and lose some sense of direction. The idea of rocks helps to ground me again and stay centered on what’s important for myself and my business.
With rocks, it is important to write down specific actions to move toward achieving the goals. For example:
– Contact 20 new people every month
– Write a blog post every month
– Work together with defined activities to attract and develop a specific customer segment
When reviewing my list recently I realized that those areas with the most progress are those where I had concrete tasks to work on regularly instead of broad goal statements.
I also like the imagery of rocks. In our ever more uncertain world, they provide:
– Stability and grounding
– Something to hold on to when the current is strong
– Ballast in a rocking boat or sliding car
– A place for anchors in the slow and methodical climb to the top of a mountain
As we come to the end of the year, are there a few rocks that will ground you and your organization for the last quarter? Can you build on this foundation to provide stability, ballast and anchoring and gain traction for the start of a new year?
Questions for consideration:
1. What 2-3 key actions will help you and your organization move forward? Write them down with specific tasks to measure at the end of the quarter.
2. Can you make time to review these rocks each day? It will provide focus and calm through a hectic period.
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