Priorities

A starting point to figuring out the number one priority for any particular quarter is to consider the six circles as potential priorities and choose the one on each side that needs the most attention at that moment. Be sure to specify whether the left-side driver is get, keep, or grow, and whether the right-side driver is better, faster, or cheaper. As an example, this quarter the top priority might be “increase by 25 percent (grow) the business we’re doing with our top four customers” (choosing the Customer circle on the (left) and “reduce the time by 50 percent (faster) it takes to properly bill our clients” (choosing to Keep Good Records circle on the right). Even though your firm may have issues within all six areas, you can only advance one of the areas on each side at a time. And because they are all interconnected, by giving momentum to one you provide momentum to all. Selecting a specific area is one of the tougher disciplines to maintain because the tendency is to try and work on all the areas simultaneously.