Why Long-Term Planning Is So Important
An organization's vision often stretches out over years — ten and twenty years into the future are not unusual, and sometimes even longer than that. And that's fine and dandy for a company's long-range hopes and aspirations, but it's far too theoretical for the job you have to do. Let's face it: Neither you nor your employees are thinking much about the company in the year 2030. All of you, however, are focused on what you've got to accomplish in your current job roles.
Foremost, as a coach and leader of men and women, you have to fret over the immediate future. You need to persuade your employees that what they do right now, and over the next six months, is relevant to both their present job situations and their long-term job futures. The coaching and mentoring mindset always links today's job with tomorrow's job.
Not to scare you, but you're actually charting many futures in your role as a coach — your own, your employees', and the company's to some extent. This is why you must remain vigilant and keep your coaching objectives sharp and measurable.
What do you have to accomplish? What would you like to accomplish? What kinds of people do you have on your team to get the job done? How will you utilize this talent pool to maximize their productivity? How will you deal with the different personalities on your staff when problems arise?
Goal setting is at the heart of good coaching. Not only do employees need to work with goals, but you, as a coach, also need to be guided by them. Goals should always be realistic and reachable. Don't hesitate to make goals aggressive and bold, but keep the pie-in-the-sky where it belongs.
Spread out your objectives over a maximum six-month time frame — and no longer than that if you can help it. After that time span, begin the process all over again with new objectives that are equally as sharp and equally as measurable. Throughout this vision-building process, make certain that your employees understand that the building blocks for their long-term careers are taking shape in their present job roles while working for you.
