Focusing on Mission and Vision
Recently I watched a
driver with a serious problem with perspective.
At first it was quite funny, but after thinking about it for a few
minutes I realized that this driver’s problem is often reflected in the business
world of our culture. What happened was
really quite simple. The driver backed
out of a parking space, and wanting to turn left, cranked the wheel to the
left, and moved forward, only to hit the car parked to the left. Backing up, with the wheel still cranked to
the left, the driver tried again, and hit the car again. Each time the driver reversed the wheel
remained turned full stop to the left.
That was, after all, the direction in which the driver wished to proceed.
In the workplace, in
order to first know what to do, and then do our best, means stopping to
think. I’m not talking about disjointed,
microsecond bursts between emails or texts, reports or planning, but really
thinking. What I witnessed with that
driver was really the fallacy of misplaced precision. Because the driver did not take the time to
stop and think, do some quality reflecting, that driver was caught in the
ever-present thick of thin things–majoring on the minor!
Part of our problem is
the rapidly accelerating convergence of new technologies, social media, marketplace
dynamics, and the lingering effects of the Great Recession. I remember as a boy going through whitewater
on Sugar Creek, the fastest running water in Indiana, my brother and I paddling
for all we were worth to avoid rocks, or being swept beneath a low hanging
branch and tipped over, and wincing with every bang on the bottom of the
canoe. The business world of which I am
a part reminds me of that journey. Too
often I feel like I’m stuck in permanent whitewater.
To some on this
whitewater journey problem solving becomes an addiction. Let’s be honest! Some personalities are predisposed to
“firefighting.” They love to multitask. They become addicted to the challenges,
excitement, and reassurance of indispensability (“This company can’t get by
with me!”) that comes from incessantly solving problems. What we fail to grasp is that nonstop action
will almost certainly lead to performance degradation! Even worse, when we’re riding the whitewater
we miss the real payoff in management.
It isn’t solving problems, but seizing mission and vision opportunities.
Here are some practical
steps to begin budgeting time to think, especially about those mission and
vision opportunities that are so important.
• Recognize
the need: If you don’t feel you really
need more time for quality reflection,
it isn’t going to happen!
• Identify
your agenda: Take the time to assess
your situation and identify what you
need to be thinking about.
• Weigh
the implications: Every breakthrough is
a break with or break out in impact and
effectiveness or organizational growth
and excellence. You need to carefully
weigh
the implications of focusing limited resources on one area versus
another!
• Put it
on your calendar: If you’re going to go
to the effort, make time to think real by
getting it on your calendar!
• Find
your structure: For some an hour or two
of uninterrupted quality thought is
sufficient, while for people like me that
is woefully inadequate. You can get
creative!
Schedule an hour each week,
combined with one entire morning or afternoon each
month, and a full day each
quarter! Experimenting will help you
find your sweet spot.
• Know
when you are at your best for thinking clearly and concentrating.
• Find
the right place: Where I work, trying to
get quality uninterrupted time to think is
like trying to remain calm while
you’re under heavy artillery attack!
• Make
it habit: Don’t underestimate the power
of habit! It takes consistent disciplineand at least 30 days to establish a habit.
