Short-termism may appear to be a particular affliction of political leaders. The constant restructuring of national services with ill thought through plans and/or little time given to allow the new to work is one example. Another is the promises that got them elected are often side-lined or plain broken when in power.
Perhaps the short-termism is a function of our rapidly changing world context and for sure agility is a pre-requisite in leadership. It may also be the limited shelf-life of political leadership, especially in those nations with fixed terms of office.
Yet there’s peril in the short-term focus whatever our leadership scope and responsibility. Whilst as organisational leaders we aren’t generally under the same limited term conditions as politicos we are contending with the very real pressure of delivering short-term targets and results.
And, just like politicians, we can initiate and then kill changes before they have time to flourish. Our articulation of plans and ideas may be lacking in clarity and heard as promises by our colleagues, whether that’s what we mean or not.
Such practices are corrosive, leading to disillusionment, mistrust, disengagement and a pervasive and ever-growing fog of ennui. These are the death knell to performance, to a satisfied and committed workforce that is bringing its best to the work.
If we are to build more resilient organisations that contribute to a better world, as we surely must, a long-term mind-set is vital to drive our thinking, decisions and actions that aren’t just about the next task, the next target, the next quarter (though we have to give attention to these too).
Whether we are with our organisation for a year, or 20 or more we are stewards of the institution, privileged to be in this position and serving our people, all stakeholders and the wider world. Resisting the lure and trap of the short-term will pay dividends far into the future and for many more than those in our orbit right now.