Some leaders are getting into trouble because they aren’t giving enough attention to the big picture. They’re not standing back and looking strategically at where they need to drive their business (or their part of the business).
And some leaders are so creative and big-picture focused that they’re not getting things done. They’re getting into trouble because they’re not giving enough attention to the other end of the continuum—the tactical, here-and-now, taking-action-so-ideas-are-implemented end of the spectrum.
Are You Inclined To Put Your Attention On The Big-Picture, Longer-Term Perspective?
Are you so focused on the big-picture that you’re overlooking the implementation plan?
Lots of leaders enjoy creating, brainstorming and thinking futuristically—so much so that too many of their superb ideas get superseded by the next before they’re properly implemented.
It’s impractical to put so much attention on the strategic big-picture that you overlook the tactical, the what-needs-to-happen-in-the-here-and-now.
Or Are You A Leader Who Puts Too Much Focus On The Tactical, Short Term Detail?
You can’t afford to be caught unawares because you haven’t stood back and taken a bird’s-eye view of your business and the broader environment and:
- Determined where you want your business to go—and how you’re going to get it there.
- Identified what potentially could get in your way—and what you need to do to overcome those barriers.
I’m not suggesting that you must build an intricate five-year or even one-year plan. Things change too quickly for that.
What I am saying is that being clear about your vision and strategies places you in a strong position to engage your people and respond to shifts and turns in your marketplace.
Are You Dis-engaging Your Team Members?
Looking from a strategic perspective, what’s shifting in your industry? And what’s changing in your organisation?
For example, are you considering that people are becoming increasingly mobile with their careers? (2011 statistics tell us that nearly a third of your employees are likely to stay for two-years or less.)
What are you doing to develop and engage your key people?
Could a crucial direct report be disillusioned because of a lack of an inspiring strategic vision? Could they be tired of your micro-managing and inhibiting their opportunity to learn and grow through challenging assignments?
Alternatively, could a crucial direct report be frustrated with your propensity to come up with idea after idea—without fully implementing the changes that are going to keep the business healthy and prosperous?
Your Leadership Call to Action
Leaders and their organisations both flourish when they have a healthy focus on the strategic view whilst ensuring the operational, tactical perspectives are well-managed.
Have you been taking a too-narrow a perspective?
If you have a natural preference to focus on the operational and tactical, now would be a good time to create a stronger habit of standing back and considering what’s happening in your marketplace and in your organisation.
Or have you been putting your attention only on the big-picture?
Only focusing on visions and strategies without following through with actions is equally problematic. Now would be a good time for you to pick-up those loose threads and develop a time-lined implementation plan.
As always, give me a yell if you want to investigate how you or one of the leaders in your team can habituate having a stronger balance of the strategic and the tactical.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carolyn Stevens has worked with leaders for more than 25-years—hundreds of them.
She’s supported leader after leader (including those who previously struggled to confront the difficult, let alone persuasively deal with the it) flourish—and become confident, courageous and impressively influential.
Carolyn is authentic and results-oriented. She draws on an eclectic array of approaches, tools and techniques to suit the situation.
