Strategic leaders walk the tightrope between immediate results and long-term impact. How many companies have failed because they chased quick wins (or quick solutions to bigger problems)? Yet without short-term gains, the long-term may never materialize. The pressure for short-term results is omnipresent, and every decision we make today for our short-term milestones are either building toward (or drawing us away from) our strategic north star. It’s the challenge of the strategic leader to balance the two in tandem - and one I see most strategic leaders struggle to navigate, no matter how experienced they are.
In the second edition of my Insights from the Field, I share real world experiences and expertise from the several innovators, creators, and leaders that I’ve interviewed in my Game Changer Interview Series as part of my work to inspire an elite level of strategic leadership. I have compiled their insights and advice in navigating the challenge of balancing short-term and long-term objectives as they take action today to position their organization for the future.
1. Without Strategic Clarity, it’s Hard to Know Where to Focus in the Short Term
Start by getting meaningful clarity around the strategic direction, then define the strategic trade-offs that direction requires - both in the short-term and long-term. Resources are finite and cannot be allocated to every viable option and still create sustained value and a competitive advantage. It can be easy to be distracted by short-term shiny objects or driven by fear of short-term misses.
Get specific with your strategic goals - and supporting reasons. “Placing bets that commit a company’s resources in the pursuit of an objective, with the risks and consequences of being wrong, should be thoughtfully done,” said Dr. Sobha Pisharody in her interview. “One suggestion is to be clear on the problem you are trying to solve. Is the focus on top-line growth? Or growing profits? Or entering new markets because the current ones are no longer growing.”
Find the path most aligned with your assets. “There is not one way to get to your strategic objective, 'many roads lead to Rome,’” said Robby Swinnen in his interview. “As a leader you have to find the path that is most aligned with the assets at your disposal, like cash, human capabilities and know-how, agility or corporate inertia, …. It is about making informed trade-offs."
Resist the pressure to act quickly, and make time for strategic thinking and research. “Take the time to understand the market, your customers, competitors, and capabilities to derive the critical strategic insights that should guide your actions,” advised CMO and VP Adelle Walker in her interview. “Often the gap is moving too quickly to tactics and actions without outlining the strategy first that informs your plan. That is where I have seen a lot of people struggle – setting up the insights and critical issues before going into tactical mode.”
2. Be Disciplined and Intentional in Your Day-to-Day Decisions
It’s a long way between the short-term milestones and the long-term objectives - with many opportunities for distractions and detours in between. Balancing the short-term and long-term along the way will require strategic flexibility, while remaining true to the direct.
Regularly shift your perspective between the strategic and tactical: “It is important for the leader to monitor progress and shift between the strategic and tactical until things settle down,” said Brian Kim in his interview. “You must spend time in the engine room to observe the tactics as well as in the ivory tower to observe the broader changes taking place. You need to see both the forest and the trees."
Celebrate the ‘no’ in service of the committed ‘yes’. “I implemented two lists across the company and fostered a culture that celebrated ideas that went on the 'No' lists. It was generally accepted as a "good thing" to get on the list,” said Senior VP Kristie Burns in her interview. “Near-term 'no' projects went on the Parking Lot. [...] Long-term 'no' projects, went on a Not-for-Now list,” said Kristie. “Unsurprisingly, when you review the lists and rank them every quarter - the important ideas bubble to the top, and the ideas that could have distracted you become inconsequential.”
Embrace the likelihood of change and recalibration. “As a strategist, you have to be comfortable with taking a position even (or especially) when there is a high degree of ambiguity,” said Senior Director Dave Williford in his interview. “Unfortunately this means your near-term guidance will often need course correction even if your North Star remains consistent.”
Accept the short-term realities. “The short term pressures are what they are. We can’t be strategically brilliant and cash poor,” said Kevin Stealy in his interview. “Those are tough decisions but people understand the trade-off. The important part of that decision is to talk about it with your stakeholders - whether that’s your boss, a board, or investors. Sometimes, you will need to trade-off the long-term for short-term results. Other times, maybe it’s not as important. The key is to discuss it and intentionally decide what is best. If it’s a tactical execution, it probably won’t kill you long term.”
3. Build Alignment and Momentum to Bridge the Time Gap to Future Impact
Driving long-term success one milestone at a time requires alignment within the organization and clear progress makers. Ultimately, the success of the long-term strategic initiative relies on the steady and flexible guidance from the strategic leaders.
Break down long-term objectives into milestones and clear checkpoints. “Making a strategic decision to build [something innovative] and committing investment to a longer time horizon can be challenging in the face of rapid revenue growth expectations,” said VP Stacie Young in her interview. “With a robust and realistic business case, commitment to clear milestones with go/no go points and willingness to monitor and report on market shifts, you can become confident in your ability to navigate internal and external challenges."
Be transparent about the ‘why’ behind decisions. “I work at aligning and gaining buy-in with vision and more importantly the why behind certain decisions and actions,” said President and CEO Kathy Ouelette in her interview. “In addition, I intentionally spend time with each Board member and strategic investors. It’s important to understand their perspective and for them to gain insights into how I think and work.”
Win over action-oriented colleagues by grounding your big ideas. Dave observed “You will be selling your ideas to many other leaders who have differing responsibilities, thought processes, short-term goals, etc. Many of your colleagues are action oriented and delivery focused. These traits have led to their success and they will only listen to your ideas for so long before they want to see some tangible output or they will tune you out.”
Build trust - it’s your greatest leadership asset. When it comes to navigating short-term decisions to protect the long-term strategy, “having a great track record gives us the reputation required for others to trust our tough decisions. Building up your credibility and forging strong relationships is a precursor to this,” said Kellie Garrett in her interview. “Trusting yourself is another matter. Flexing your go-to styles, e.g. a data lover jumping without 100% proof of future success, is also helpful.”
As Kathy advised in her interview: “Stay grounded in your decisions. At the end of the day, the leader is in the best position to make the final decision, while leveraging the valuable insights and perspectives of the Board."
Take Time to Lead with Clarity and Intention - Driving Focused Action for Lasting Impact
Balancing short-term pressures with long-term impact is one of the greatest day-to-day challenges of strategic leaders. The strategic leaders that I’ve interviewed shared their experiences setting a clear strategic direction, resisting impulsive actions while staying agile, made intentional trade-offs, and cultivated commitment and alignment in the organization. Strategic leadership requires the discipline to pause, assess and act with intention, all while sustaining alignment in a dynamic environment. Those who actively balance (verb, not noun) this inevitable tension build the trust and momentum needed to drive lasting transformation.
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