“Push the Sand? Check. Move the Rocks? I’m Not So Sure.”

“We got lots of Rocks. We never quite get to them.”

That’s because Rocks, while more important, don’t have to get done right now. Sand does. Let me explain.  

Sand is all the things you do in your business that enables you to invoice them. The sales call, taking the order, solving their problem, making/shipping product, delivering service, customer service. The things your customers pay you for. If you don’t do these things pretty well, you’ll be having cash flow problems in the near future.  

You and your team naturally default to pushing the Sand. It’s a front of mind thing. You and your team know it’s a priority. The customer comes first, right. If you don't serve your customers, you won’t have a business. Failure to push the sand isn’t really an option, is it? 

Rocks, on the other hand, are things you do enable you to push more sand and make more money.  Installing software to improve a process, creating a new product, adding people/equipment to increase capacity, breaking into a new territory, etc.  Rocks are projects or initiatives or efforts that require teamwork, are often cross functional, and regularly use skills/expertise you don’t use very often. Additionally, there isn’t usually a clear roadmap for getting it done.  

Failure to identify the Rocks and move them means you won’t grow. It’s not an option either. 

Rocks get ignored or pushed to the back of your minds by the Sand.  

A growing company has to be good at both. 

When you adopt the Rock & Sand Model, you’ll do both. Successfully. 

It’s a model that works. Take a look around and explore the ways we can put it to work for you.