Action Items are short-term tasks that drive weekly accountability, while Sub-Priorities are the weekly supporting outcomes that help achieve a Priority.
Sub Priorities
A quarterly priority should be a 90-day goal that states an outcome that will be achieved by the end of the quarter that is supporting the overall objectives of the business. Sub-priorities, are the weekly outcomes that have to be achieved to meet that quarterly goal. They should also be written as smart goals, and their completion is often tracked by percentage.
Example:
Priority: Launch new customer onboarding process by end of quarter.
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Sub-Priority Week 1: Finalize process design and documentation.
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Sub-Priority Week 2: Build onboarding training module.
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Sub-Priority Week 3: Pilot process with 5 new customers.
- etc.
Each of these Sub-Priorities moves the company closer to achieving the larger Priority.
Action Items
Action Items are small, day-to-day tasks that help teams stay organized and get things done. You can create them on their own, during meetings, or as part of Priorities/Sub-Priorities. They help track deadlines, delegate work, and make sure important actions are completed.
Action Items give flexibility in how you track weekly goals, but they are usually yes/no tasks, so they provide less detail about progress compared to Sub-Priorities, which are measured by percentage complete. You can use Action Items instead of Sub-Priorities for weekly tracking, but Sub-Priorities give a clearer picture of progress toward bigger goals.
Example:
Examples of Action Items within Sub-Priorities include:
Sub-Priority 1: Finalize process design and documentation
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Action Item: Draft step-by-step onboarding workflow
- Action Item: Update documentation based on team input
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Action Item: Publish finalized process in the company knowledge base
Sub-Priority 2: Build onboarding training module
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Action Item: Outline module structure (topics, learning objectives, and format)
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Action Item: Create slide deck and supporting training materials
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Action Item: Upload module into the LMS (Learning Management System)
Sub-Priority 3: Pilot process with 5 new customers
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Action Item: Identify 5 customers to participate in the pilot
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Action Item: Schedule onboarding calls and assign facilitators
Action Item: Collect feedback through follow-up surveys
💡 Tip: Think of it as a hierarchy: Priority → Sub-Priority → Action Item.
Action Items are great for flexibility and keeping day-to-day tasks on track, but because they’re usually yes/no, they give less detail on weekly progress than Sub-Priorities. For a clearer view of how larger goals are moving forward, use Sub-Priorities measured by percentage completion.