One of the major traps of today is that of instant gratification. People want things to be be better now, not next week, month, year, decade or lifetime. It's not just related to electronics. The Harvard Business Review published an article about how most publicly traded companies can't have a legitimate 3-5 year plan because Wall Street pushes for Quarter to Quarter improvements, and if a company experienced several quarters of losses in pursuit of the plan, the CEO would be ousted for someone who could "provide" Quarter to Quarter improvements (forget being ready for the future). A leader is supposed to have a vision for the future, plan for it, and take action to accomplish it. With all the expectations and lack of patience, this is a very difficult requirement. Hence, I find Warren Buffett's Quote even more pertinent:
Thanks again to my wife Erin for the picture and meme. The picture was taken at
George Ranch Historical Park. Those two people enjoying the view are actually a statue meant to represent AP and Mamie George, the last generation of George descendants to run the ranch. If you get a chance, the family story is quite fascinating. Back to leadership.
As we progress into the New Year, what are you doing for the long term? How are you providing for the future of your team, or for that matter, of people in general? What goals and resolutions are you pursuing? Let me know in the comments. Maybe later this week I'll share a few of my own.
We may not always be around to witness the end result, but that shouldn't be the excuse not to lay the groundwork!
No comments:
Post a Comment