By Jackie Stapleton
I came across a question the other day while reading: “What’s one thing we should stop doing, start doing, or do differently in the next six months?”
It was simple, but it stuck with me. I thought, that’s actually a great question to ask right now—especially as we head into the final stretch of the year. Then I thought, “Why don’t we ask this in our management reviews more often?”
And while we’re at it, why not add one more: “What will we continue to do?”
Recognizing what’s working is just as important as spotting what isn’t. Late in the year is the perfect time to stop just reporting and start rethinking You’ve got months of real data to work from—and still enough time left to make changes that count.
And I’m not the only one saying this.
Forbes explains that this point in the year is a smart opportunity to seize control of your strategy. This allows you to reassess goals, fine-tune your direction, and respond to changing market conditions before the end-of-year scramble hits.
Another Forbes article explains the value of strategic adjustments now—recommending this time of year to review performance indicators, evaluate alignment with your purpose, and make practical changes to ensure strong outcomes.
The message is clear: Waiting until the very end of the year to review and reflect may be too late. Late Q3 gives you the chance to course correct—not just recap.
The Action Grid: A simple way to sort what’s working and what’s not working
To make your late-year management review practical—not just reflective—use this simple decision-making tool: the Action Grid.
The Action Grid helps you and your team make clear calls on where to adjust, where to stay the course, and where to make space for something new.
It’s not about reporting everything—it’s about choosing what matters next.
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The Four Quadrants explained
⚫ Stop doing: Low value and ineffective
These are the timewasters, outdated habits, or activities that no longer serve a purpose. Let them go—they are just taking up space.
Examples could be:
- Manually retyping audit findings into multiple systems
- Chasing paper-based forms when a digital option exists
- Running training with zero feedback or evaluation loop
🟣 Start doing: High value but not currently happening
These are gaps or opportunities—things that could make a real difference but have not been actioned yet. These are missed opportunities—time to act.
Examples could be:
- Tracking trends in nonconformance data, not just individual incidents
- Regular reviews of external risks (e.g. new laws, supply chain issues)
- Consulting with staff before setting objectives—not just after
🟠 Do differently: High value, but not working well right now
The intention is right, but the execution needs to change. These are ripe for improvement and are still worth doing—but fix the how.
Examples could be:
- Your management review is happening, but it’s just a report, not a strategic discussion
- You’re gathering customer feedback—but only looking at the complaints
- Objectives are set—but no one knows them beyond the quality manager
🔵 Continue to do: High value and effective
These are your strengths. Don’t overlook them—sustain them. Protect what works—don’t reinvent these.
Examples could be:
- A risk register that’s regularly reviewed and actually used
- Strong document control process that staff find easy to access
- Internal audits that focus on real improvement, not just box-ticking
Quick activity: Use the Action Grid in 15 minutes
Grab a blank version of the grid (or draw one).
- List 5–10 key activities from your management system—think audits, reporting, objectives, training, etc.
- For each one, ask:
• Is it currently effective?
• Is it delivering high value?
- Place each activity in the quadrant it fits.
- Choose one action to take from each quadrant:
• One thing to stop
• One thing to start
• One thing to do differently
• One thing to keep doing
Tip: Use this in your next management review meeting. Ask your team to fill it out beforehand. It’s a great conversation starter and decision-making tool.
About the author
Jackie Stapleton is the director of Auditor Training Online and holds multiple Exemplar Global certifications.
This article first appeared on Auditor Training Online‘s Lead The Standard newsletter and is published here with permission.
The graphic has “Start Doing” in the Low Value / Highly Effective quadrant, contrary to the description of it as High Value / Not Happening (Ineffective), which would be the same as “Do Differently.” It would be more apt for the lower right quadrant to be “Do Less” since it is essentially busy work.