BUSINESS GROWTH
Rockefeller Habits Checklist :
Is Your Business On The Path To Sustainable Growth ?
BY VERNE HARNISH
Managers who have completed the Rockefeller Habits Checklist ( which can be downloaded at ScalingUp . com ) often ask us two questions :
1 . How did we survive / thrive for all these years yet have nothing checked off on the list ?
2 . Are the habits in any kind of order ?
Responding to the first question , we remind executive teams that this is an execution checklist . It ’ s not necessary to implement any of these habits to build a long-lasting organization . It just means you ’ ve been leaving massive amounts of money and time on the table . And if you have a killer strategy and / or heroic people willing to work 18-hour days , eight days a week , these habits will make up for the messes created by sloppy execution and lack of discipline .
To answer the second question , you can ’ t implement any of what I ’ ve taught unless Rockefeller Habit No . 1 — “ The executive team is healthy and aligned ” — exists . The order in which you implement the other habits doesn ’ t matter . Choose just one or two each quarter , based on what will give you the most immediate benefit as you would with the rest of our crossword puzzle-like tools . Over 24- 36 months , you ’ ll have moved through all 10 habits .
ROCKEFELLER HABIT NO . 1 The Executive Team Is Healthy And Aligned
Patrick Lencioni ’ s bestselling book “ The Five Dysfunctions of a Team : A Leadership Fable ” defines the unhealthy situations that can derail your leadership team : an absence of trust , fear of conflict , lack of commitment , avoidance of accountability and inattention to results . If one or more of these afflictions exist , then address it before you tackle any other aspect of execution .
We strongly suggest purchasing Lencioni ’ s affordable “ Team Kit .” Take your leadership team through his assessment and training process to strengthen the levels of trust , healthy debate , commitment , accountability and results . It ’ s a great tune-up for even healthy teams . At a minimum , require all leaders and managers to read his book once a year . It ’ s a quick read , and a refresher can prevent new problems from arising within the team as you scale up .
Many of the Rockefeller Habits reinforce routines that keep the team healthy , like taking a few minutes to share personal and professional good news at the start of a weekly or monthly meeting . Other ways to help the team build trust include the following :
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