“There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.”
Managing for Business Effectiveness –
A handful of actions usually drive most of a company’s results. Yet the CEO of a midsize business is pulled toward every problem and every opportunity at once. Trying to boil the ocean dilutes energy, drains resources, and can stall even a talented leadership team.
In our experience, focus is a superpower. One of our favorite tools for finding it is also one of the simplest. We call it BoBs and WoWs.
Two ends of the same list
BoBs, the Best of Best, are the standout performers in any part of the business: people, processes, products, customers. They hold practices you can scale and set the benchmark for everyone else.
WoWs, the Worst of Worst, are the biggest pain points: the products, accounts or processes that drain time and money and need targeted intervention.
Most leaders instinctively start with the WoWs. We have seen repeatedly that the bigger prize is usually in the BoBs: understanding why they win and replicating it.
How to apply it
- Pick one measurable area. Customers by profitability, products by margin, sales territories by growth.
- Rank it top to bottom using the data you already have.
- Study the BoBs. What are they doing differently, and can it be shared across the business?
- Diagnose the WoWs. Why are they underperforming, and what fixes it fastest: coaching, a process change, or an exit?
Then allocate attention on purpose. Put real energy into multiplying the BoBs. Resolve the WoWs quickly so they don’t consume more than their share. Spend little time on the middle.
Where to apply it
| Area (rank by) | Scale the BoBs | Fix the WoWs |
|---|---|---|
| Customers (profitability, lifetime value, churn) | Define the ideal customer profile; replicate how you won them | Address why customers leave; reprice, reduce service levels, or exit non-core accounts |
| Products and services (margin, volume, satisfaction) | Invest in and promote the top lines; extend what makes them work | Fix quality issues fast, or phase the product out |
| Sales territories (growth, profitability, penetration) | Add resources; share the playbook with other territories | Realign people or change the sales approach |
| Operations and processes (throughput, cycle time, error rate) | Make the best site or process the standard; automate it | Run an operational audit; invest in training or equipment |
| People (performance, productivity) | Expand their scope; make them mentors | Provide focused coaching, reassign, or set an improvement plan |
Make it a habit
The first ranking is useful. The real value comes from repeating it. Refresh your BoBs and WoWs monthly or quarterly, and bring them into operating reviews, team meetings and offsites.
Over time this builds a cycle: the best practices spread quickly, the worst problems get fixed early, and the whole business moves up. Complexity tempts leaders to look for complex answers. We have found that clarity and focus beat complexity almost every time.