Leaders Must ‘Put Big Rocks In First’ to Align Actions with Priorities, Says Florence Divet ☀️

In a recent LinkedIn post, Florence Divet ☀️ discusses the critical leadership challenge of aligning daily actions with stated priorities, using the popular “big rocks” analogy to illustrate how busy professionals often fail to dedicate time to what truly matters.

Florence Divet ☀️ highlights a common paradox observed in founders, CEOs, and leaders: while they can readily identify their core priorities—such as family, health, relationships, strategic thinking, and team development—these crucial elements rarely appear on their actual calendars.

“Instead, their calendar fills with other people’s urgencies: back-to-back meetings, reactive emails, weekly fires, investor calls, endless board packs.”

The post emphasizes that merely knowing priorities is insufficient; they must be actively protected and scheduled. Florence Divet ☀️ argues that this is a common pitfall where priorities are treated as abstract values rather than concrete commitments.

The “Big Rocks” Analogy and Calendar Management

Florence Divet ☀️ revisits the well-known anecdote, often attributed to Stephen Covey, where a professor demonstrates how a jar can accommodate large rocks, pebbles, and sand if the large rocks are placed in first. If sand is added first, the larger items will not fit.

This analogy is directly applied to the demanding schedules of modern leaders. Florence Divet ☀️ observes that calendars are frequently dominated by external demands and urgent, often less important, tasks, leaving little to no room for the fundamental “big rocks” of personal and professional life.

“Time is limited. Energy even more so. Being clear on what matters and knowing your priorities isn’t enough. You must protect time for them.”

The core message is a call to action: leaders must intentionally schedule time for their most important priorities, treating them with the same importance as critical business appointments.

Turning Priorities into Appointments

Florence Divet ☀️ provides a series of actionable suggestions for leaders to implement this principle:

• Block dedicated time for one-on-one interactions with partners.
• Schedule uninterrupted hours for strategic thinking.
• Reserve time for family, with a commitment to disconnect from work.
• Allocate time for personal development, exercise, and adequate sleep.
• Carve out time for oneself to recharge energy levels.
• Schedule development talks with high-potential team members.

The central tenet is clear: “If it is not in the calendar, it is not a priority. It is a wish.”

A Framework for Self-Assessment

To help leaders bridge the gap between their aspirations and their reality, Florence Divet ☀️ proposes a four-question self-assessment to be answered on paper:

1. What are your big rocks right now? Identify up to seven key priorities that you would regret neglecting in the next six months.
2. What are you actually doing about each? Honestly assess current actions, not intentions.
3. What did you do about them last week? Review your calendar to see if time was actually allocated to these rocks.
4. What will you do about them next week? Immediately open your calendar and block specific time for these priorities, defending them rigorously.

“The gap between the answers to questions one and three shows the life you live versus the life you want. Question four is where you start closing that gap.”

Florence Divet ☀️ concludes by reiterating that the outcome of life is determined by actions, not intentions. The “jar” of time and energy is finite, and what is placed in it first dictates what ultimately fits.