By Dave Bushy, PCC
“This is going to be great!”
“I’m so excited we decided to do it.”
“It will be a game-changer.”
“I just know that we really succeeded in what we are setting out to do.”
Such are the words we often hear from team members and corporate executives when we embark on a new strategic plan, a short-term goal, or even a small project that we just know will succeed.
All are part of what I have come to call “Reminiscing About the Future.”
It’s a useful tool to be optimistic, for sure. But having confidence in an outcome and celebrating or reminiscing about the results before the project has even started is far easier than doing the hard work it takes to successfully set something in motion.
We all can fall into hoping for a positive outcome that then transitions to believing we have already achieved it. It may well be like buying a lottery ticket. We purchase one and begin thinking about the possible payout. From that we contemplate what we could do with the winnings. The transition in thinking is deceptively simple: the shift from what we could do with them to what we will do with them. And then we’re off to the races with plans for a world cruise, our dream home or that sports car we’ve always wanted. We share with others and our hopes take on a reality and a certainty that helps us “reminisce” about the outcome.
Such daydreams can be awfully fun and we all experience them.
But teams necessarily need to do some hard work before the “high-fives” and reminiscing begin.
A number of important steps come first:
- What is the problem or issue we are solving for? Have we spent time building awareness in how we all see it and co-created and defined the “it” that we are addressing?
- Once we do that, do we all have a shared understanding of what “success” will look like? Too often, when I work with clients I notice that they are geared to action and spend far less time in awareness and defining outcomes.
- Is there alignment throughout the leadership structure and company? Whether it’s building a new brand or launching a new product or service, is there a shared understanding throughout the ranks of what we are trying to do?
- Is there a designated leader? I’ve seen too many projects with committees and “corporate champions,” that have no designated person in charge.
- And, is there a plan of action built and specific milestones and timelines defined by the leadership team and embraced and owned by the leader and their team?
- Have we committed to timely and honest updates and ensured that everyone will know the progress – not just the corporate leaders?
If we can make these steps and successfully align and communicate the awareness of the need for the plan along with the cogent action for achieving success – now that’s something to reminisce about!
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Dave Bushy of Boston Executive Coaches – bostonexecutivecoaches.com – is a an ICF-certified coach who was trained at the Gestalt International Study Center (GISC). Dave is a former U.S. Army officer and senior airline executive who works with leaders throughout the world.