I have long been a proponent of setting goals, measuring results, celebrating successes and changing things around to meet emerging challenges. Over the years I have learned from folks way smarter than me about planning for the near term, short range, and long term. Long-term planning is something I have come to believe in as I play out my personal and professional life.
It is rewarding to meet any goal, especially when your goal involves your family or your team. Reaching a long-term goal is particularly rewarding because these goals always mark the culmination of not just a long journey, but a series of small wins and minor setbacks. Sometimes major setbacks. The economy and some in the roofing industry are right smack in the middle of a major setback, and for some of us it marks a seismic shift in the road to reaching one or more long-term goals.
While still a proponent of the long-term plan, I think it is important to make appropriate adjustments to all of your plans to meet up with the “new normal”. For a good definition of “new normal” look here:
www.roofingcontractor.com/CDA/Articles/Blog_Tim/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000533726.
It is rewarding to meet any goal, especially when your goal involves your family or your team. Reaching a long-term goal is particularly rewarding because these goals always mark the culmination of not just a long journey, but a series of small wins and minor setbacks. Sometimes major setbacks. The economy and some in the roofing industry are right smack in the middle of a major setback, and for some of us it marks a seismic shift in the road to reaching one or more long-term goals.
While still a proponent of the long-term plan, I think it is important to make appropriate adjustments to all of your plans to meet up with the “new normal”. For a good definition of “new normal” look here:
www.roofingcontractor.com/CDA/Articles/Blog_Tim/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000533726.
Not saying you toss your long-term plan out, but, as Jim Collins said in the classic business tome Good to Great, you must “confront the brutal facts.” The market your long-term plan may have been established in is gone and has been replaced by something different, something new.
Here’s the “other side of my mouth” part: While still subscribing to the ideal of planning, I think long-term planning must take a back seat for a while. In fact, the habit of planning for the normal cycles in business such as annual budgets and quarterly reports may have to be reconsidered in light of a rapidly changing marketplace. With markets remaining all roiled up it is simply impossible to predict long-term trends and opportunities.
This is not all bad. Short-term planning is how you are going to take advantage of new opportunities as they emerge in a recovering economy. For some of us the plan is going to include language such as “survive.” If you can prevail in this economy there will be time for a long-term plan.
Here’s the “other side of my mouth” part: While still subscribing to the ideal of planning, I think long-term planning must take a back seat for a while. In fact, the habit of planning for the normal cycles in business such as annual budgets and quarterly reports may have to be reconsidered in light of a rapidly changing marketplace. With markets remaining all roiled up it is simply impossible to predict long-term trends and opportunities.
This is not all bad. Short-term planning is how you are going to take advantage of new opportunities as they emerge in a recovering economy. For some of us the plan is going to include language such as “survive.” If you can prevail in this economy there will be time for a long-term plan.
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