STRATEGY

Hopefully, you have read last week’s newsletter that introduced The Leadership Framework. If not, you can read it here: THE LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

We’re going to start at the top of the framework: goals and strategy. This is where you actually get specific about what you will achieve when you solve the problem.

So, along the top, you’re asking yourself: what is it we are trying to achieve? What is our purpose? Our strategy? Our mission? Our goals? Again, we have to be as specific and descriptive as we can.

This is so important because what will invariably happen as you proceed from the current state to the future state is that “stuff” will get in your way. Stuff happens. Right? “Hey, it’s not quite as easy as we thought it would be.”

In other words, it’s never a smooth process. Sometimes, when you’re engaged in real problem-solving, it’s two steps forward and three steps back. Don’t get discouraged – that’s normal. It happens. That’s life.

It’s important to be clear, committed, and public about these goals with your team because, when the going gets tough, people will otherwise say, “Oh, you didn’t really mean that.”

Pick your analogy. Your kids, your sports team, it doesn’t matter. At some point, when the going gets tough, someone is going to test you and say, “You didn’t really mean that. C’mon coach, you didn’t really mean 25 pushups. You only meant 10. You didn’t really mean that I need to complete this much training.”

Change is hard, and the status quo is powerful. People will always challenge your future state—your intent, your seriousness, your commitment.

Achieving your goals doesn’t have to mean you have to get there the first time every time. It doesn’t mean that you don’t adjust your implementation plan – but it does mean that you’ve done the thoughtful work to define your current state and your future state, that you actually know the goals you need to achieve, and that you are clear that you’re committed to achieving them. Otherwise, you’ll never get there.

This is your future state. How many of you start a trip with no idea of where you’re going? Maybe occasionally, but probably not very often. Most of the time we have a vision of where we want to be. If we don’t, then any old place will do. And any old place is usually easier than seeing possibilities. If you’re not clear, you will end up somewhere – but it won’t be where you intend.

So, define your goals clearly and commit to them with your team and with others. Don’t keep it a secret.

Next week, I'll write about the next step of The Leadership Framework: Processes & Structure.