Tip: 2..2 Three to Five Priorities (Rocks) that support the Critical Number are identified and ranked for the quarter.
The magic of the Scaling Up process is getting everyone in the company to accomplish one additional thing that is aligned with the company’s focus every 90 days. i.e. each employee has one Critical Number that aligns with the company’s Critical Number for the quarter, illustrating that there is a clear line of sight.
Like the company, all employees or teams need to set a handful of priorities (known as rocks) that will help them achieve their Critical Number (i.e. each individual/team should have three to five rocks that align with those of the company.)
The concept of “Big Rocks” is based on principles outlined by educator and author Stephen R. Covey, who wrote the popular book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The idea is that in your role, you have all kinds of responsibilities and tasks that need to get done each day. Some of them are critical and must get done in order for you to reach your goals. These are your Big Rocks and they are usually ongoing projects that cannot be rushed. Other things in your role may not be quite as important as your Big Rocks, but they are certainly time-consuming! These are the day-to-day tasks like plodding through your email and filing an expense report that are your Small Rocks.
Now, imagine that you have a glass jar that you need to fill up with all of your rocks, big and small. Is there enough room for them all? If you fill the jar with pebbles first, you’ll never be able to find space for the bigger rocks. However, if you put the big rocks in first, then your small rocks will fill in the spaces between the larger rocks, and indeed you’ll find that everything successfully fits. It just depends on what you prioritize first.
If you get easily distracted by “noise” then at the end of every day, make a list of the three most important things to accomplish to support your priorities the following day. Start your day by working on those priorities and before long you will feel in control of your life!