We implemented Rocks focused on systematising routine processes & introducing new services. Within a year, their revenue increased by 20% because they had created capacity for growth.
Rocks: The Garden Infrastructure
Rocks generally fall into one of the following seven categories, each representing a key area that can significantly impact your business’s growth & success:
- Operational Efficiency – Streamlining processes & reducing waste to improve productivity.
- Profitability & Financial Performance – Increasing revenue, reducing costs & improving margins to enhance financial health.
- Sales & Marketing Growth – Expanding market reach & driving new business.
- People & Talent Development – Building a strong, capable & engaged workforce.
- Customer Experience & Satisfaction – Improving service quality & strengthening client relationships.
- Innovation & Product Development – Introducing new products, services & improvements to stay competitive.
- Strategic Initiatives & Growth – Advancing long-term goals & aligning short-term actions with the vision.
These Rocks create leverage—like building a garden irrigation system that reduces the need to water every day or planting ground cover to stop the weeds from growing.
They help you break through ceilings, scale & improve efficiency.
Real-Life Example: Manufacturing Business
A manufacturing client was constantly firefighting production delays. We identified a Rock to overhaul their scheduling system.
It took three months of focused effort, but the payoff was huge: on-time delivery improved by 35%, reducing daily firefighting & freeing the leadership team to focus on innovation.
Finding the Balance
We prioritise Rocks by using the 80:20 Pareto Principle.
80% of your time will be on BAU, which, as a Leader, means Leading, Managing & holding your team accountable for the BAU & any other accountabilities from your Accountability Chart.
The remaining 20% is spent on the initiatives that move the business forward—your L10 meetings, Quarterly Conversations with your team & focusing on completing your Rocks.
In a Level 10 Meeting, you cover both Rocks & BAU. BAU is measured using the scorecard, focusing on key metrics that track ongoing performance. Rocks, on the other hand, are measured by tracking milestones & the end goal to ensure strategic priorities are being achieved.
Design Your Week Before Someone Else Does
Before you can make progress on your Rocks, you need to block out time. It won’t happen if you don’t make the time. If you don’t block out the time, someone else will take it.
Break it down into manageable chunks. Some people prefer to take an entire day per week, whilst others will split it into two half days or an hour & a half per day. Find what works for you & block it out in your diary. Make it clear to your team that you’re unavailable during this time.
As Sally Duxfield says in her book IMPACT 4Q | Time for Control | The Pursuit of Peak Performance, it’s essential to first make yourself available for your team before locking yourself away to focus on important initiatives.
Once you’ve supported your team, let them know you’ll be stepping away to work on strategic tasks & how long you’ll be unavailable. This simple act can significantly reduce interruptions.
It’s a straightforward, pragmatic book with easy-to-apply tips & tools to help you get the most from your day.
I love Sally’s work & highly recommend her book. You can find it here:
