In my experience as a manager, I have seen huge gains in incorporating long-term management into my daily life. I understand that the benefits of this type of management are not visible right away, and that we often appreciate having a result there. I’m one too. That’s why I incorporate the short, medium and long term into my daily life, even if it may seem paradoxical. By transmitting these 3 levels of vision, I found that my team was more efficient: they had the autonomy to align their decisions in the right direction. For me, thinking long term is also about building a solid foundation that will make you stronger during organizational storms. Concretely, the most frequent problems I hear are:
- I never have time to work on substantive issues unless I overtime.
- I’m asked to plan for the coming year, and we experience organizational changes every 6 months…
- It seems to me that I am only putting out fires!
- It’s impossible to just keep my to-do list up to date.
- The results delivered by the team in relation to the annual objectives do not correspond to my expectations.
- The systems and processes defined a year ago are already outdated.
Sound familiar?
The question I want to ask you is: Do you have goals? Personally, when I realize certain behaviors (stress, late deliverables, procrastination), I go back to my basics, to my goals. What I experienced doing this worked when I was in a management position, and still works, today on my own. I also do this exercise on a personal basis. The notions of short, medium and long term vary for each individual or organization. Here are mine:
Set your short-term goals!
What do I want to have accomplished by the end of the day? this week? within a month? Stuff:
- On a daily basis, manage the unexpected by bringing yourself back to your goal for the day and prioritize accordingly.
- Have realistic time management! (Meetings one after the other from morning to night, is that really realistic considering your operational workload and your projects to be delivered?)
- Delegate: on your own you move faster, as a team you move further.
- Give yourself the right to say no, offer alternatives.
Set your medium-term goals!
What do I want to have accomplished in the next three months and/or “by the end of the year”, “by the summer”, etc.? Stuff:
- Each month, take stock of your medium-term goals and come out with an action plan.
- Realign and modify your plan as needed. (You have the right to change a plan! At the same time, take responsibility for your own goals…)
- Take the opportunity to take stock of your long-term goals. Are you aligned?
Set your long-term goals!
What is my vision in 3 or 5 years? What do I want my life or business to look like? Stuff:
- The further back in time the vision, the more likely it is to be vague or incomplete. On my side, some parts are very clear and others less so. Is it music that inspires you for your future? Is it an image? Are they words? Is it a graph? A document? Let your creativity guide you through this exercise!
- Your vision should inspire you .
- Let a coach help you set your goals and execute your action plan.
To your action plans!
What is the biggest challenge for you?
