A new year marks a new page on the world calendar. For many, turning the page marks the end of one thing and the beginning of something else. We're inundated with experts' analysis of the past twelve months and outlooks for the next twelve. Perhaps you are like me and many of the executives I advise - reflecting on what's worked (or not) and identifying specific objectives for our business and ourselves.
I was honored to be a guest on the podcast, Profiles in Success, hosted by Gordon Bernhardt. (Listen to the full episode here.) We covered a lot of ground in our conversation - from making strategy visible to life lessons, shared values, and more. In particular, we talked about the journey.
In business and in life, we routinely describe where we want to go, who we hope to be, or what we expect to achieve. Typically, we set objectives and milestones to evaluate our progress in doing what we set out to do. As leaders, we guide others in following the path we've set and working together to reach the destination.
Ideally, leaders make strategy visible.
Yet, in our complex business environments, it's easy to get lost. And often, the chosen path is not a universal one; there are many paths to navigate the myriad options and changes that occur along the way.
Leaders make strategy visible by ensuring staff know what the strategy is and how they fit. They create a framework that empowers and enables staff to consistently connect where they are now with where they need to be and then, to make the necessary adjustments. That's one of the things I talked about with Gordon. (It's also at the heart of my book, Charting the Course: CEO Tools to Align Strategy and Operations.)
Strategy is a journey.
It's the set of decisions and actions that get you where you want to go.
Turning the page on the calendar, perhaps consider this: are you where you want to be? If not, seize the opportunity to change it.