Most performance goals are wishes dressed up as objectives. “Improve customer service.” “Increase efficiency.” “Enhance communication.” These aren’t goals—they’re hopes without plans. Real Rocks have teeth. They bite into specific problems and don’t let go until solved.
EOS transforms fuzzy intentions into concrete achievements through Rocks—90-day priorities that move your business forward. But setting Rocks is an art. Too vague and nothing changes. Too many and nothing gets done. Too easy and you’re playing small. The sweet spot? That’s where mountains move.
The Anatomy of a Rock That Rocks
Weak Rocks die from ambiguity. “Improve sales process” could mean anything. “Document and implement 5-step sales methodology with 80% team adoption by March 31” means exactly one thing. Specificity is the difference between motion and progress.
Every Rock needs five elements: specific outcome, measurable success criteria, single owner, realistic timeline, and clear connection to company goals. Miss any element and your Rock becomes a pebble—small, forgettable, and easily kicked aside.
Use EOS One to document these elements explicitly. Don’t just enter the Rock title. Add success criteria in the description. Link it to the relevant company goal. Assign the owner who’ll present updates. Clarity in the system creates clarity in execution.
The Productivity Power Play
Productivity Rocks focus on doing more with what you have. Not hiring your way to growth—optimizing your way there. These Rocks typically target process improvement, automation, or elimination of waste.
“Reduce customer response time from 24 hours to 2 hours” is a productivity Rock with bite. It’s specific, measurable, and impacts customer experience directly. The owner knows exactly what success looks like. The team understands why it matters.
Track productivity Rocks with before-and-after metrics on your Scorecard. If the Rock is reducing response time, add response time as a weekly metric. Watch it improve as the Rock progresses. This real-time feedback maintains momentum and proves impact.
Avoid the “efficiency” trap. “Increase efficiency” means nothing. “Reduce order processing time by 50% through automated workflows” means everything. Always define efficiency in concrete terms that connect to business outcomes.
Professional Development That Delivers
Development Rocks build capability for future challenges. They’re investments in tomorrow’s capacity, not just today’s performance. But development without direction wastes time and money.
“Complete advanced Excel certification” might be a valid Rock if spreadsheet mastery directly impacts role performance. But “Attend a conference” is tourism, not development. Every development Rock needs clear connection to business value.
Create development Rocks that combine learning with application. “Implement three new financial analysis techniques from Excel certification to improve monthly reporting” beats certification alone. The learning sticks when immediately applied.
Use your Accountability Chart to guide development Rocks. Which accountabilities need strengthening? What future seat might this person fill? Development Rocks should build specific capabilities for specific business needs.
Collaboration Rocks That Connect
Teamwork goals often dissolve into vague niceness. “Improve collaboration” could mean anything from more meetings to group hugs. Effective collaboration Rocks create specific structures or processes that force better teamwork.
“Implement weekly cross-functional project updates reducing missed handoffs by 75%” targets a specific collaboration problem with a specific solution. It’s not about feelings—it’s about outcomes that require teamwork to achieve.
Document collaboration improvements as process changes. If the Rock creates a new meeting structure, add it to your Meeting Pulse. If it establishes new communication protocols, update your playbook. Make collaboration systematic, not situational.
Track collaboration metrics on relevant Scorecards. Missed deadlines, project delays, customer complaints about coordination—these numbers reveal collaboration health better than any survey. Let data drive your collaboration Rocks.
Leadership Rocks That Level Up
Leadership development can’t be passive. Reading books and attending seminars don’t create leaders. Leadership Rocks require active practice with real stakes and clear outcomes.
“Lead product launch team delivering on-time release with 95% feature completion” develops leadership through fire. The person must coordinate, communicate, decide, and deliver. Success requires leadership; failure provides lessons.
Pair leadership Rocks with mentoring. The Rock owner leads the project while a senior leader provides guidance. Weekly check-ins during one-on-ones ensure development happens alongside delivery. Leadership grows through supported challenge.
Create graduated leadership Rocks. Start with leading a small project. Success earns larger scope next quarter. This progression builds confidence and capability systematically. Track the journey in EOS One—seeing growth motivates continued development.
Strategic Rocks That Shift Markets
Strategic Rocks change your competitive position. They’re not about doing current things better—they’re about doing different things. These Rocks require courage because they venture into uncertainty.
“Launch subscription pricing model targeting 20% of revenue by Q4” fundamentally changes the business model. It’s not incremental improvement—it’s strategic transformation. These Rocks carry higher risk and higher reward.
Strategic Rocks need extra support. More frequent check-ins. Dedicated resources. Executive sponsorship. Clear decision rights. When you’re changing the game, not just playing it better, the Rock needs infrastructure for success.
Use IDS aggressively for strategic Rocks. Obstacles emerge constantly in new territory. Weekly Level 10s must prioritize strategic Rock issues. Speed of problem-solving determines success when exploring uncharted territory.
The Cascade Connection
Individual Rocks must connect to Company Rocks. This cascade ensures everyone rows the same direction. Random Rocks, however well-executed, create organizational chaos.
If the company Rock is “Launch Version 2.0,” individual Rocks might include “Complete beta testing for 3 modules” (QA), “Create launch campaign generating 1000 leads” (Marketing), and “Train support team on new features achieving 90% competency” (Support).
Visualize the cascade in EOS One. Show how individual Rocks support department Rocks support company Rocks. This visibility prevents conflicting priorities and reinforces strategic alignment.
Review cascade effectiveness quarterly. What percentage of individual Rocks directly support company Rocks? Low percentages indicate alignment problems. High percentages show organizational focus. Track this metric to ensure cascade discipline.
The Right Number of Rocks
Less is more with Rocks. Three to seven at the company level. One to three per person. This isn’t lack of ambition—it’s respect for reality. Focus beats frenzy every time.
When someone wants four Rocks, force prioritization. Which three matter most? That fourth Rock becomes next quarter’s priority. This discipline prevents overcommitment that leads to underdelivery.
Track Rock completion rates by quantity. Do people with one Rock complete more often than those with three? Use data to find your organization’s sweet spot. Some cultures handle more; some need fewer. Let results guide Rock quantity.
Add Rock load to your one-on-ones. When someone consistently completes their Rocks early, maybe they can handle more. When someone struggles, reduce load before they fail. Proactive adjustment beats reactive failure.
Measuring Rock Success
Completion isn’t binary—it’s a spectrum. Define success criteria that acknowledge progress even in failure. Maybe the Rock missed the revenue target but built the capability. Partial success teaches better than total failure.
Create a Rock scoring system. 100% for full achievement. 75% for substantial progress. 50% for meaningful attempt. 0% for abandonment. This nuance encourages ambitious Rocks while acknowledging reality.
Track Rock scores on your Scorecard. Average score by department, by level, by Rock type. These patterns reveal where your organization excels and struggles. Use insights to improve Rock setting and support.
Celebrate progress, not just perfection. When someone scores 75% on a stretch Rock, that’s better than 100% on a softball. Recognition should encourage appropriate ambition, not just easy wins.
The Compound Effect
Great Rocks compound. This quarter’s productivity improvement enables next quarter’s growth. Today’s development Rock creates tomorrow’s leader. Strategic experiments open future opportunities.
Document Rock progression in EOS One. Show how Q1’s “Document sales process” enabled Q2’s “Train new reps to productivity in 30 days” which supported Q3’s “Scale sales team by 50%.” This story motivates continued Rock discipline.
Your Rock-setting muscle strengthens with practice. First quarters feel awkward. By year two, Rocks become natural. By year three, you can’t imagine operating without them. Persistence through the learning curve pays dividends.
Making Rocks Matter
Stop setting goals that gather dust. Start setting Rocks that create earthquakes. Use your 90-day sprints to tackle what matters most. Be specific. Be measureable. Be accountable.
Next quarter, cut your Rock list in half and double your specificity. Use EOS One to track progress weekly. Celebrate completion quarterly. Watch how focused effort moves mountains that scattered activity can’t budge.
Great Rocks share DNA: specific outcomes, clear ownership, measurable success, and strategic alignment. Master this formula and watch your organization transform from busy to productive, from hoping to achieving. One Rock at a time.
