Monday Morning Gradient Audit
A structured quarterly review process to maintain phototropic discipline.
A structured quarterly review process to maintain phototropic discipline. Takes 120 minutes total and surfaces misalignments between resource allocation and actual opportunity gradients. Designed to run before the week's urgencies consume strategic attention.
When to Use Monday Morning Gradient Audit
Run quarterly, ideally Monday morning before operational firefighting begins. Essential for organizations that suspect they may be growing in wrong directions or allocating resources based on historical patterns rather than current gradients.
How to Apply
Customer Gradient Check (30 min)
Rank customer segments by NRR, identify top 3 high-gradient segments (>120% NRR), calculate allocation percentage to top 3 vs. others.
Questions to Ask
- What % of sales/marketing goes to top 3 segments?
Outputs
- Red flag if <50% allocation to top 3 segments
Product Gradient Check (30 min)
List all product lines by revenue growth rate, identify top 3 fastest-growing (>40% YoY), calculate R&D allocation to top 3 vs. others.
Questions to Ask
- What % of R&D goes to top 3 products?
Outputs
- Red flag if <50% R&D to top 3 products
Geographic Gradient Check (20 min)
Rank countries by growth rate + profitability, identify top 3 high-gradient geographies, calculate go-to-market investment by geography.
Questions to Ask
- Are we investing heavily in low-growth geographies?
Outputs
- Red flag if large investments in low-growth markets
Competitive Gradient Check (20 min)
Map where competitors are allocating resources (hiring, products, PR), identify gaps in their strategy, assess whether gaps represent low gradients or opportunities.
Questions to Ask
- Are we following competitors into low-gradient areas?
Outputs
- Red flag if strategy is reactive rather than gradient-driven
Technology Gradient Check (20 min)
List emerging relevant technologies, assess maturity (Research→Early adopters→Mainstream→Legacy), identify early-adopter-phase technologies, calculate R&D allocation.
Questions to Ask
- What % of R&D goes to early-adopter-phase technologies?
Outputs
- Red flag if <20% R&D on early-adopter technologies