# TBM 12/52: The Basics  ## Metadata - Author: [[John Cutler]] - Full Title: TBM 12/52: The Basics - Category: #articles - Summary: Teams should focus on the basics to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. The basics include having a team charter and mission, a strategy, one or more models, a roadmap with detailed bets, bet artifacts, bet-related metrics and input metrics, great kickoffs and learning reviews, and an approach to continuous improvement. Teams should have a stable focus area that spans multiple years and refine their strategy to avoid trying to be all things to all people. They should also have bet-specific metrics and target input metrics, set goals, conduct well-facilitated kickoffs and learning reviews, and have a mechanism for continuous improvement. - URL: https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-1252-the-basics?r=4b5bd&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post&open=false ## Highlights - Focus on The Basics. In my mind The Basics include: 1. A charter and mission 2. A strategy 3. One or more models 4. A roadmap filled with bets 5. Artifacts for those bets 6. Bet-related metrics, Input metrics, goals 7. Great kickoffs and great learning reviews 8. An approach to continuous improvement ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hqyedrzwme54r5avz3v5wvzd)) - Every bet has a [one-pager](https://medium.com/@johnpcutler/great-one-pagers-592ebbaf80ec), a research folder, a [learning backlog](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-753-learning-backlogs?s=w), a “core team”, and "extended team", and an advocate. Over time you will accumulate more “stuff”, so be sure to make it easy to find. Write a one-pager for bets in the [1-3 month range](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-1453-1s-and-3s?s=w). For longer bets, make sure to break them down (but *also* have a 3-6 pager for the big "parent" bet) ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01hqcqhrfww1gp6ydywc718ehe))