Executives need to constantly balance the long- and short-term demands of their businesses, but it can be difficult to remain strategic when you’re facing immediate concerns. To keep your next strategy meeting focused on the future, slow down. Issues that need to be addressed over a longer time frame benefit from exploration. Before jumping in to solve strategic issues, consider them from multiple angles. Ask for opinions from everyone in the room; it’s possible that each person has interpreted the challenge differently. You may also need to spread the discussion over several meetings so that you can better understand the data, discuss the various points of view, and examine the implications of different strategies. When strategy is on the agenda, it’s important to adopt a slower, more deliberate, and participative approach.
Adapted from "Keeping Your Strategy Meetings Focused on the Long Term," by Sabina Nawaz
