Previously I have written about strategy and planning - today I have a simple note for those that are operationally focused - Do not lose sight of your goals- your strategy !
You should now have a strategy and will have likely shared that with shareholders, banks, staff, customers and even suppliers - they will monitor your results with those big promises in mind!
It is easy with a small business or your small department to get buried in the day to day, more worried about IT issues, deliveries and customer targets that what should be happening in 5 years time.
The day to day focus by many new managers is understandable, as after all you want to please todays customer, sort todays delivery issues or make sure you have sufficient cash flow. However your stakeholders - be that customer or staff or others, will measure you against the long term promises. So if you promise a growth rate of 100% in 2 years that will be what they monitor - they will not be interested in your day to day operational targets and issues. All businesses have to manage crises every day be that the weather, the delivery truck that broke down or the machine that is not working - your worth is really about doing those things whilst sticking to the strategy targets.
If you are bogged down in the day to day, you never get time to think about the long term or watch the strategy then your business may be too dependent upon you, ill-structured or have some other fundamental issue - senior managers need to spend a fair bit of time on strategy. If you cannot find time to get to strategy then perhaps consider hiring a professional to assess your department or business - let them give you ideas on how to manage it differently.
I would strongly recommend putting some regular strategy days into your calendar - see the dates as important as meeting a customer. During these strategy days review the metrics of your business against what you promised in the last strategy session with staff or customers. If you are off track then spend the time reviewing and setting remediation plans, seek feedback and respond to your stakeholders on where the strategy is going.
In Disruption the iterations of strategy reviews will need to occur more often, changes in direction may also occur more frequently - building a strategy review process is now more important than ever.
If you are a Leader or seeking to be one in the future - you need to read, read, read about Disruption NOW ! Those that fail to understand and adjust will fall behind.
Feel free to ask Dr Mat over a chat or email on Leadership, Management or change issues, advice, consulting or mentoring that you may seek.
These and other related topics feature in Dr Mats book titled "Leading and Managing Change in the Age of Disruption and Artificial Intelligence" - written for the modern professional, student and academic - anyone wanting to be ahead on modern Leadership and Management issues. Available through Amazon and other book sellers from May 24th 2019 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1787563685 . This book has been strongly endorsed - so use this link to review the endorsements and their comments - consider buying this book or recommend it to professional colleagues or friends/family, students and academics.
Consider your own specific situation and seek professional advice before acting directly in reaction to any of the tips on this website, they are intended as general advice only.