Why Weeds Keep Growing in Your Business (& What to Do About It)

I was tending the garden at my session room here in Melbourne. It’s a beautiful outdoor space, but I’m working on making it as low-maintenance as possible – like any business owner, I can’t afford to spend hours dealing with weeds.

That’s when it hit me.

Tending a garden is exactly like running a business.

The weeds? They’re your BAU (Business As Usual). The planting & infrastructure? That’s your Rocks – the big, strategic initiatives that set you up for real growth.

Let me explain.

Why BAU Feels Productive (But Isn’t Always)

BAU keeps things ticking. In gardening, that’s pulling weeds, watering plants, trimming edges. In business, it’s replying to emails, processing orders, answering calls, checking on the team. All important stuff. But if that’s all you do, you never build anything bigger.

You feel busy. You might even feel like you’re winning. But are you actually moving your business forward?

In many cases – no.

This is the trap I see so many leaders fall into: They confuse activity with progress.

Real-Life Example: Professional Services Firm

I worked with a mid-sized accounting firm that was great at the day-to-day. Client work was always delivered. But they were stuck in reactive mode & couldn’t figure out why they weren’t growing.

The problem? They hadn’t planted anything new.

We worked together to identify a few Rocks focused on systematising their repeatable services & introducing a scalable new offer. Within a year, they increased revenue by 20% – not by working harder, but by working smarter. They created capacity by shifting focus.

Rocks: Your Business Infrastructure

Rocks are the big things that change the game. They fall into one of seven categories:

1. Operational Efficiency – Streamlining systems to save time & reduce errors
2. Profitability & Financial Performance – Lifting margins or cutting waste
3. Sales & Marketing Growth – Attracting more ideal clients
4. People & Talent Development – Strengthening your team with the right hires or training
5. Customer Experience – Delivering better service, faster
6. Innovation – New services, smarter offers, smarter delivery
7. Strategic Growth – Expanding, opening new markets, prepping for acquisition

Each one gives you leverage. Like installing irrigation so you don’t have to water daily. Like planting ground cover to prevent future weeds.

Real-Life Example: Manufacturing Business

One client was constantly firefighting. Their production schedule was chaotic & late deliveries were impacting customer relationships.

We made one Rock: Overhaul the scheduling system.

It took 3 months. But on-time delivery improved by 35%. That one Rock reduced firefighting dramatically & gave the leadership team space to innovate.

Balancing BAU & Rocks – The 80/20 Principle

You won’t ever escape BAU. Nor should you. 80% of your time should be spent Leading, Managing & holding your team accountable for BAU.

But the other 20%? That’s your gold. That’s where real growth lives.

If you’re running on EOS, this is exactly why we do Rocks, L10s, & Scorecards. It’s also why we obsess over structure – simplifying who’s accountable for what.

1. Rocks give you focus every quarter
2. The Scorecard tells the truth every week
3. Structure ensures clarity across the board
4. Vision aligns the whole team on one page

You measure BAU weekly using the Scorecard. But you measure your Rocks quarterly – milestones, outcomes, done or not done. It’s how you shift from reactive to proactive.

Design Your Week Before Someone Else Does

Here’s where the magic happens: Block time in your calendar.

If you don’t do this, you’ll never have time for strategic work. Others will fill your time with their priorities.

Some leaders prefer a full day a week. Others split it into two half-days or a few daily blocks. Whatever works for you – just protect that time. Let your team know when you’re available & when you’re not.

Sally Duxfield says it best: Serve your team first, then step away to do the deep work.

Make yourself available for them. Then carve out time for strategy. When they know you’re unavailable for good reason, interruptions drop.

Like a Garden, Your Business Needs Both

Don’t just pull weeds. Don’t just react. Don’t spend all day on the BAU treadmill.

Yes, you need to keep the lights on. But if that’s all you do, you’ll wake up one day wondering why nothing’s changed.

Instead, plan your Rocks. Stick to them. Build that irrigation. Plant the seeds for long-term success.

Need help figuring out what your Rocks should be – or how to build the right structure to support growth?

Let’s talk. I help leadership teams in Melbourne & beyond build businesses that are scalable, sustainable & genuinely rewarding.

📧 debra@businessaction.com.au
🌏 Working with privately held businesses in New Zealand & Melbourne

Written by Debra Chantry-Taylor, FBA Accredited Family Business Advisor, Certified EOS Implementer & Founder of Business Action.

Business Action is focused on helping Entrepreneurs lead better lives, through creating a better business. We have a small team of accredited family business advisors, EOS Implementers & Leadership coaches, as well as access to a huge range of advisors through our Trusted Partners Network.