Discipline 1
The What
Focus on the Really Important Outcomes (RIO)
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Discipline 1 focuses on defining what you ultimately want to achieve - your Really Important Outcomes (RIO) or Wildly Important Goal (WIG).
This is the goal that matters to your organization and requires your focus and diligence, but you have to overcome the competing priorities that also demand your time and attention each day. Your day-to-day work still needs to get done, but the whirlwind (like the emails, phone calls, and other interruptions) can sweep you away and distract you from your top priority: your RIO or WIG.
Discipline 1 can be counterintuitive because your team focuses on less so that you can achieve more. You only want to focus on 1-2 RIOs/WIGs in a specific time frame, even though it is tempting to try to do more at the same time.
Step 1: Analyze the current situation for organizational alignment
Look at the vision, mission, values of the institution
Discuss Rio's 3 Strategic Goals and choose 1 to focus on
Step 2: Create an expansive list of possible goals
Let the ideas flow from all team members - big and small goals
Let the ideas flow from all team members - big and small goals
Focus on WHAT you would like to accomplish, not on HOW
Avoid filtering ideas; let it all out without criticism
Be creative and imagine different possibilities
Some of these ideas can become future RIOs/WIGs
Step 3: Organize the list of possible goals
Group items into like-minded categories
Filter out items that are not strong enough on their own
Highlight goals that will have the greatest overall impact
Highlight goals that your team is excited about
Step 4: Analyze your team's readiness
Look at strengths you can leverage
Look ahead at weaknesses you may have to overcome
Step 5: Test it out
“Dive Deeper” into which goal will have the greatest impact
Q: Is there a clear finish line?
Q: Does this align to the vision/mission/values/strategic goals?
Q: Can it be measured easily without having to invent a whole system?
Q: Is this a realistic and achievable goal?
Q: Does your team have more than 80% ownership over the area?
Q: Is this a team game or only a leaders game?
Step #6: Filter out ideas
Filter out items that:
Do not have a clear finish line
Do not align with the organization / division / department
Cannot be measured easily without having to invent a whole system now
Are not realistic or achievable in the current time frame
Do not allow the team to have 80% or more ownership over the outcome
Are more of a leaders game than a players game - everyone should play a role
Step #7: Analyze common themes & continue to narrow down ideas
Combine potential ideas to create an even stronger RIO/WIG
Identify stronger area(s) of focus on a larger scale
Step #8: Formatting the RIO/WIG
Ensure it is clear, measurable, worthy of effort, & achievable
Consider the format: Verb from X to Y by When
Verb - begin with a verb to show action
Lag measure - define the lag measure / what you are ultimately trying to change with your efforts. This will help you know if you achieved your goal (from X to Y)
Simplicity - the fewer words, the better. Focus on the main concepts.
What - focus on what you are trying to achieve, not how you will do it
Step #9: Try different combinations
Look at word choice and consider synonyms
Analyze what words better define your goals
Consider how to make the goal clearer and simpler
Step #10: Create the usable formatted RIO/WIG
Choose the best verbiage from your trial versions
Please note: You can modify it as you get more involved in the process to more accurately meet your team's needs
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