Hi Reader,
October brings its usual mix: brisk mornings, packed calendars, and the full momentum of planning season. Across the industry, teams are making decisions that will shape the next year, often in the middle of too many meetings, competing demands, and very little clarity.
This is when we turn to our tools to help our teams find the signal through the noise. We use tools that allow us to focus not just on what is loud or immediate, but on what truly deserves our time, attention, and capital.
This month we explore the 5x5 method, a simple and powerful tool to prioritize based on time and impact. It is a way to navigate complexity without losing focus.
One of the best parts of writing this newsletter is hearing from you. An added bonus of this conference season was the many of you who found me to share your favorites from recent newsletters.
Your stories and reflections make these conversations richer and remind me that this is an exchange of ideas, not a broadcast.
Thank you for reading. Please continue to reach out with questions, feedback, or comments.
Time as a Filter:
Using the 5x5 Method to Set Real Priorities
We are in the thick of it. Asset strategy planning followed by portfolio-level strategic planning season brings no shortage of questions, meetings, and ideas, and all of them can feel urgent.
But not all of them matter equally.
The 5x5 method helps filter that decision-making through time. Ask yourself:
Will this issue still matter in 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 months, or 5 years?
Start with the last one: will this issue still matter in 5 years?
If the answer is no, the rest becomes easier to prioritize.
If the answer is yes, then dig in deep.
This simple, time-based filter helps leaders distinguish signal from noise and direct resources to what will actually move the needle.
Why It Works for Asset Strategy
The 5x5 method is not about ignoring short-term issues. It is about right-sizing your response based on the issue’s true timeline of impact.
It helps you:
- Focus on what supports long-term value
- Triage what needs short-term attention
- Let go of what is simply noise
In an environment where capital, time, and talent are limited, this method helps you direct resources where they will matter most.
On the ground example: CapEx Decision Under Pressure
Take a material capital expenditure investment in a lagging asset where the go/no go decision needs to be made in the next week since the funds are only available if the project can be started before year end.
Ask:
Will this capital investment matter in 5 years?
- Yes. It reshapes performance and long-term positioning for this asset.
In 5 months?
- Yes. The project will be in a stronger position going into the new year as activity rebounds.
In 5 weeks?
- Yes. You have a window to access the funds for this project if it starts before year end.
5 days?
- Yes. Your portfolio manager needs the recommendation finalized to meet the deadline.
5 minutes?
- No. This is not a fire drill, it is a strategic decision.
Now you know; this is not something to ignore or rush. It requires deliberate planning and execution aligned with your long-term goals.
Of course, we all know that there are moments when urgency is imposed by leadership or the organizational culture. In those cases, awareness is the first step. Recognizing the mismatch between true impact and perceived urgency allows you to consider: what is driving this pattern of urgency? and can we address the root cause?
Strategic Leverage
The 5x5 method is especially valuable as you prioritize planning, staffing, and capital deployment for 2026. It sharpens your ability to evaluate not just what matters, but when it matters most.
Use it to:
- Surface which issues will have lasting impact versus those that are time-bound distractions
- Identify patterns across your portfolio or organization that are driving short-term urgency at the expense of long-term value
- Guide resource planning by separating flash points from structural needs
This is not about how fast you respond. It is about calibrating your focus to the real timeline of risk and opportunity.
Cough, cough. Yes, it also helps reveal which colleagues prefer to operate in constant fire-drill mode, a pattern worth noting.
Feroce Frame
Leadership is not about doing everything. It is about understanding what deserves your time and your team’s time. The 5x5 method brings clarity, urgency, and perspective so you can act with discipline, as well as, speed.
Try This
This week, take one asset business plan or draft budget proposal and apply the 5x5 filter to its components.
Ask:
- What decisions in this plan will shape performance in 5 years?
- What assumptions need validation in the next 5 weeks?
- What line items or projects are unlikely to matter in 5 months, and could be deferred or cut?
You will uncover misaligned focus, reclaim hours, and redirect resources toward what will actually move the asset and your strategy forward.