Is Your Executive Misaligned? - GMORRIS: Business Coaching

The Rockefeller Habits Checklist is an Execution Checklist inspired by John D. Rockefeller and created by Verne Harnish and the Scaling Up team. The checklist includes habits that enable companies to grow and scale. Each habit is centered around three key focus areas: Priorities, Information, and Rhythm. The test scores 40 attributes of a healthy business around these focus areas. It's best to have each member of your Executive Team or Board take this quiz. Once done, compare your results with the other members and work on the areas where there is a mismatch in team alignment.

The executive team is healthy and aligned.

Team members understand each other's differences, priorities, and styles.

The team meets frequently (weekly is best) for strategic thinking.

The team participates in ongoing executive education (monthly recommended).

The team is able to engage in constructive debates and all members feel comfortable participating.

Everyone is aligned with the #1 thing that needs to be accomplished this quarter to move the company forward.

The company has a critical number it's working towards this quarter.

The executive team knows the top 5 priorities to hit that critical number.

A theme or reward has been set and announced to the employees for when the critical number has been reached or exceeded.

The critical number has been posted around the company and all employees are aware of it.

Communication rhythm is established and information moves through organization accurately and quickly.

All employees are in a daily huddle that lasts less than 15 minutes.

All teams have a weekly meeting.

The executive and middle managers meet for a day of learning, resolving big issues, and knowledge transfer each month.

Quarterly and annually, the executive and middle managers meet offsite to work on the strategy, execution, cash and people.

Every facet of the organization has a person assigned with accountability for ensuring goals are met.

Everyone is in the right role doing the right things to hit the critical number.

Financial statements have a line item holder for each of the items.

The key processes in the company have an owner assigned to them.

For each of the 3 to 5 year goals there is a key expert assigned to making those goals a reality.

Ongoing employee input is collected to identify obstacles and opportunities.

All executives (and middle managers) have a Start/Stop/Keep conversation with at least one employee weekly.

The insights from employee conversations are shared at the weekly executive team meeting.

Employee input about obstacles and opportunities is being collected weekly.

A mid-management team is responsible for the process of closing the loop on all obstacles and opportunities.

Reporting and analysis of customer feedback data is as frequent and accurate as financial data.

All executives (and middle managers) have a conversation with at least one end user weekly.

The insights from customer conversations are shared at the weekly executive team meeting.

All employees are involved in collecting customer data.

A mid-management team is responsible for the process of closing the loop on all customer feedback.

Core values and purpose are alive in the organization.

Core values are discovered, purpose is articulated, and both are known by all employees.

All executives and middle managers refer back to the core values and purpose when giving praise or reprimands.

HR processes and activities align with the core values and purpose (hiring, orientation, appraisal, recognition, etc.).

Actions are identified and implemented each quarter to strengthen the core values and purpose in the organization.

Employees can articulate the following key components of the company's strategy accurately.

There is an audacious long-term goal and progress is tracked and visible to all employees.

Everyone in the company knows the profile of the core customer(s).

Everyone knows the brand promise and there are weekly KPIs that measure progress.

Employees knows the elevator pitch of "What does your company do?"

All employees can answer quantitatively whether they had a good day or week.

1 or 2 KPIs are reported by weekly by each role / person

Each employee has their own critical number, reported on weekly that aligns with the company's critical number

Each team/individual has 3 to 5 quarterly priorities that align with those of the company.

All executives and managers have a coach or peer holding them accountable to behavior changes.

The company's plans and performance are visible to everyone.

A 'situation room' is established for weekly meetings (physical or virtual).

Core values, purpose and key priorities are posted throughout the company.

Scoreboards are up everywhere displaying current progress on KPI's and critical numbers

There is a system in place for tracking and managing the cascading priorities and issues.

Report Results

Scores above 35 are consider a highly functioning and aligned executive team. Scores between 25 - 34, are mostly aligned but there is still plenty of work ahead to reach a high-performance level. Scores between 15 - 24, there are a few practices that are going well but there is plenty of room for growth. Improving your weakest area will yield the best results. Scores less than 14 are low functioning teams. Sure, you are getting the work done and the company is functional. Odds are this style of working has been "getting the job done," for many years. If you want to scale to a more effective, more fulfilled and more profitable team then let's start a conversation.

Your Executive Team Score

Out of a possible 40 points.

Email the Results

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George Morris

I use my 20+ years of entrepreneurial experience and training to coach businesses on scaling up rapidly using Verne Harnish's Scaling Up framework. By doing so, my clients are more efficient and profitable, giving them the ability to make bigger impacts in the world. I deeply believe entrepreneurs are the best equipped to be the vehicle for meaningful change, and in the decade ahead, we'll see a substantial shift in how business is done. We'll move to a model where company purpose, impact, curiosity, and team health will be differentiators in overall business success. As Simon Sinek has pointed out, the finite games are the legacy of the past; we're moving to an infinite game.

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