It is surprising and frustrating how many business leaders simply make it up as they go along. Entrepreneurs typically start with a core idea, and then, if they are lucky, they have some initial success that requires them to build a business delivery model. Many of them become overwhelmed by the daily operations and tasks necessary to meet customers’ product or service commitments.
Since most companies typically start undercapitalized and growth eats cash, they also get caught up in basic financial issues, which can be a significant leadership distraction. Suddenly, they find themselves managing a company with employees who anticipate a leader who is well-aware of the future and has a strategic plan in place.
Remember, successful companies do not get that way by accident. They live in three horizons: today, tomorrow, and the future. Today is for managers. Leaders need to think bigger and longer term. Leaders should be focused on tomorrow and building toward the future. Leading without this kind of vision is like trying to navigate a dense forest without a compass. It is easy to become disoriented and lose your sense of direction.
It is always preferable to work from the future backward. You need a clear picture of where you are going, why you are going there, and a roadmap on how to get there. The road may be bumpy at times, and the route can change, but the destination should remain fixed and constant. Everyone should know what success looks like in granular terms today, but they also should have a broader understanding of the overall impact of their work toward creating a better, more secure future.
Tomorrow will not take care of itself. If you take your eye off the ball, you leave your company vulnerable to the vagaries of the marketplace. You end up in reactive mode and yield the future to more proactive and thoughtful competitors. Markets have a cruel way of weeding out non-performers and myopic thinkers. The historic business landscape is littered with once high-flying companies that became complacent and too deeply mired in the past or present.
On the contrary, the future is open to interpretation and ripe for initiative. The best leaders instinctively know that it’s not just what they do but where they are going that matters. Business leadership destiny is rarely a matter of chance and usually a question of choice. You create your future, or it will define your business in ways you might not like.
You should constantly be in a design and build mode. Never rest on your laurels or assume the solutions of the past will solve the problems of tomorrow. It’s essential to be responsive, agile, and flexible, but only as it serves your vision of the future. Try your best not to be sidetracked by the urgency of now or the perceived obstacles of tomorrow. Get the operational and financial fundamentals right, keep true to your core values, hire good people, and let them do their job. Keep your focus on the road ahead, not just inside your vehicle, the scenery outside your window, or the amount of gas remaining in your tank.