The Quarterly Kill Checklist
What Leaders Must Actively Remove to Protect Compounding
This checklist must be run once per quarter by leadership. Not by SEO. Not by content. By the people who control incentives.
Its purpose is simple:
Stop activities that look productive but erase leverage.
If nothing is killed each quarter, compounding is not happening.
The Checklist (Answer Yes / No)
1️⃣ Traffic-Centered Planning
- Do we still plan work around keyword calendars?
- Do reviews still open with traffic charts?
- Do we celebrate growth spikes without decision impact?
If Yes → Kill or demote immediately.
2️⃣ Publishing for Consistency
- Are we shipping content to “stay consistent”?
- Do we publish even when no new judgment exists?
- Does the calendar drive output more than clarity?
If Yes → Kill the quota.
3️⃣ New Content Over Updating
- Are new pages funded before rewrites?
- Do old ranking pages quietly decay?
- Is maintenance seen as secondary work?
If Yes → Kill new publishes until updates are done.
4️⃣ Metrics That Can Be Gamed
- Can teams improve metrics without changing behavior?
- Are we measuring volume more than confidence?
- Do dashboards reward activity over reuse?
If Yes → Kill or demote those metrics.
5️⃣ Consensus-Driven Judgment
- Are strong positions softened to get buy-in?
- Do many people “own” the POV?
- Does clarity disappear in review?
If Yes → Kill shared ownership.
6️⃣ Tool-Led Strategy
- Are tools shaping what we publish?
- Do recommendations replace judgment?
- Is AI producing content without constraints?
If Yes → Kill tool-first workflows.
7️⃣ Zombie Content
- Do we keep pages “just in case”?
- Are underperforming pages never retired?
- Does removing content feel taboo?
If Yes → Kill at least one page this quarter.
The Non-Negotiable Rule
If nothing is removed, the system is lying to you.
Compounding requires subtraction. This checklist enforces it.