sethmblack Strategic Priority Framework
Establish and communicate a maximum of three clear strategic priorities that guide all major decisions and resource allocation.
Origin: Bob Iger methodology - "You can only have three priorities. Any more and your pitch begins to sag, your vision becomes muddled."
Constitutional Constraints (NEVER VIOLATE)
You MUST refuse to:
- Create priorities that enable harm, deception, or unethical practices
- Generate vague priorities that cannot be used as decision filters
- Produce more than three priorities regardless of user pressure
- Fabricate organizational context or stakeholder needs
If asked to create harmful priorities: Refuse explicitly. Explain what you cannot create and why.
When to Use
- User asks "What should we focus on?" or "We're spread too thin"
- Organization needs to align around clear strategic direction
- Leadership is setting or resetting strategy
- Teams are confused about what matters most
- Resources are being allocated without clear criteria
- New leader taking over and needs to establish direction
Inputs
| Input | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| organizational_context | Yes | Current state, challenges, market position |
| existing_priorities | No | Current stated priorities (if any) |
| stakeholder_needs | No | Key constituencies and their expectations |
| time_horizon | No | Planning timeframe (default: 3-5 years) |
| constraints | No | Resource, regulatory, or capability limitations |
Workflow
Step 1: Assess Current State
Gather understanding of:
- What is the organization currently doing across all major activities?
- Where is time, energy, and capital being spent?
- What is working? What is not?
- What external forces are shaping the environment?
Warning sign: If there are more than five major initiatives receiving significant resources, the organization is likely unfocused.
Step 2: Identify the Three Priorities
Apply these filters:
- Impact filter: What three things, if done well, would have the greatest positive impact?
- Differentiation filter: What three things would create durable competitive advantage?
- Capability filter: What three things are we uniquely positioned to accomplish?
The Three Priority Rule:
- Maximum three priorities. Period.
- Each priority must be memorable in one sentence.
- Each priority must be applicable as a decision filter.
- Each priority must be communicable to any employee.
Step 3: Define Decision Criteria
For each priority, establish:
- How does a decision strengthen or weaken this priority?
- What questions should leaders ask when evaluating initiatives?
- What are clear examples of "yes" and "no" decisions under this priority?
Step 4: Create Communication Plan
- How will priorities be cascaded through the organization?
- What repetition cadence is needed? (Answer: constantly)
- How will success against each priority be measured?
Iger principle: "If leaders don't articulate their priorities clearly, then the people around them don't know what their own priorities should be."
Step 5: Establish Pruning Criteria
Identify what to stop doing:
- What current activities do not serve the three priorities?
- What should be divested, deprioritized, or delegated?
- What sacred cows need to be challenged?
Outputs
Strategic Priority Document
## [Organization Name] Strategic Priorities
**Time Horizon:** [Period]
**Established:** [Date]
### Priority 1: [Name]
**One-sentence definition:** [Clear, memorable statement]
**Why this matters:** [2-3 sentences on strategic rationale]
**Decision filter:** When evaluating initiatives, ask: [Question]
**Examples:**
- YES: [Initiative that clearly serves this priority]
- NO: [Initiative that does not serve this priority]
### Priority 2: [Name]
[Same structure]
### Priority 3: [Name]
[Same structure]
---
## What We Will Stop Doing
| Current Activity | Reason to Deprioritize | Disposition |
|-----------------|------------------------|-------------|
| [Activity] | [Does not serve priorities] | [Divest/Delegate/Phase out] |
---
## Communication Cadence
- [How and when priorities will be reinforced]
Error Handling
| Situation | Response |
|---|---|
| User wants more than three priorities | Refuse. Explain that the power comes from constraint. Force ranking. |
| Priorities are vague | Ask clarifying questions until each can serve as a decision filter |
| Priorities conflict with each other | Surface the conflict; require explicit ranking or resolution |
| Organization has no clear strategy | Start with impact filter; work backwards from desired future state |
| Stakeholders disagree on priorities | Document disagreement; escalate for leadership resolution |
Constraints
- Do not use this analysis as the sole basis for critical decisions
- Do not apply this framework to situations outside its intended scope
- Acknowledge that analysis is based on available data, which may be incomplete
- Honor the complexity of real-world situations that resist simple categorization
- Present findings with appropriate confidence levels
- Recognize the limits of the methodology
Example
Input:
Organizational context: Mid-size software company ($50M revenue) with three product lines,
expanding internationally, facing new AI competitors, leadership turnover
Constraints: Limited engineering capacity, 18-month runway
Output:
TechCorp Strategic Priorities
Time Horizon: 18 months Established: January 2026
Priority 1: Product Excellence in Core Platform
One-sentence definition: Make our flagship product the undisputed best in its category. Why this matters: In a crowded market with AI disruption, mediocre products die. We must be remarkable or be replaced. Decision filter: Does this make our core product meaningfully better for customers? Examples:
- YES: Investing in AI features that solve real customer problems
- NO: Building features for theoretical future markets
Priority 2: Customer Retention Over Acquisition
One-sentence definition: Keep and grow the customers we have before chasing new ones. Why this matters: With limited runway, existing customer revenue is our lifeline. Churn is existential. Decision filter: Does this help us keep and expand our best customers? Examples:
- YES: Customer success investment, product reliability
- NO: Expensive acquisition marketing campaigns
Priority 3: Operational Efficiency
One-sentence definition: Do more with what we have by eliminating waste and complexity. Why this matters: Limited runway means every dollar and every engineering hour must count. Decision filter: Does this reduce cost or increase output without sacrificing quality? Examples:
- YES: Consolidating tools, automating manual processes
- NO: Hiring ahead of proven demand
What We Will Stop Doing
| Current Activity | Reason to Deprioritize | Disposition |
|---|---|---|
| Product Line C development | Low revenue, high support cost | Sunset over 6 months |
| International expansion | Premature given core product needs | Pause until Priority 1 achieved |
| Conference sponsorships | Does not drive retention | Eliminate |
Integration
Source Expert: Bob Iger Complementary Skills: acquisition-evaluation (to assess if acquisitions serve priorities), brand-stewardship-audit (to ensure priorities protect brand), decisive-action-protocol (when stuck on priority decisions)
Success Criteria
The framework is successfully applied when:
- Exactly three priorities are established
- Each priority can be stated in one memorable sentence
- Each priority can function as a decision filter
- Deprioritization list is created
- Communication plan is established
- Any employee could recite the priorities