Peak Performance
Marginal Gains Audit
Marginal gains come about when you look to improve the system rather than increasing your effort. Often, we aim to make one large improvement that usually requires heroic effort, rather than looking to a few small, incremental improvements that could compound.
How to use this
Rate yourself 1–5 on each dimension. Look for your lowest 2–3 dimensions. Then identify one micro-adjustment per dimension that costs less than 1 hour/week and requires no approval.
0 of 7 dimensions rated
Work Elimination
How effectively do you identify and stop doing work that no longer earns its place?
I rarely question whether existing work is still worth doing
I have a regular practice of cutting or simplifying low-value work
Decision Speed
How quickly do you move from discussion to committed action?
Decisions stall, recirculate, or wait for unnecessary approval
I make the right decision at the right level with clear timelines
Meeting Quality
Are your recurring meetings earning their time slot every week?
Most meetings are status updates that could be an email or a sync update
Every recurring meeting has a clear decision or output
Priority Clarity
When priorities shift, how quickly do you know what changed and what it means for your work?
Priorities shift but communication lags; people learn through side channels
Priority changes are communicated within 24 hours with clear "start/stop/continue" guidance
Feedback Loops
To what extent do you adjust or act on feedback?
I review results quarterly or only when something goes wrong
I have lightweight, frequent check-ins that surface what's working in real-time
Time on Highest Value
What percentage of your time is spent on work that directly drives your most important outcomes?
Less than half my time goes to my highest-priority work; the rest is maintenance, admin, or reactive
80%+ of time is on my top priorities; low-value tasks are delegated, automated, or eliminated
Recovery & Sustainability
Is your current operating rhythm sustainable for the next 12 months without degradation?
I'm running on adrenaline; recovery happens only during vacations (if then)
I build recovery into my operating rhythm; intensity is deliberate and cyclical, not constant