Spark 15 – How to think more strategically: Balancing Long and Short Term: Insights

In the ceaseless ebb and flow of organisational priorities, the strength and resilience of a strategy often hinge on its ability to dance gracefully between the now and the next. As leaders, as thinkers, as dreamers, our task is to ensure that while we build bridges to a luminous future, we don’t lose sight of the land we stand upon.

Imagine a civilisation on a distant exoplanet named Nebula-9. Nebula-9 faces an intriguing challenge. Their planet is in the path of an oncoming asteroid shower, expected to hit in about 100 years. But they’re also grappling with immediate energy shortages affecting daily life.

The only option is to initiate a dual strategy. For the immediate challenge, they channel resources to tap into the energy of their blue star using cutting-edge technology, ensuring they don’t plummet into an energy crisis. Simultaneously, understanding the gravity of the impending asteroid shower, they begin constructing robust underground cities and researching asteroid deflection techniques.

It’s a dance of strategy, as immediate needs harmonise with future planning. This ensures that while today’s Nebulan thrives, the future Nebulan has a safe planet to call home. It’s a cosmic reminder: whether you’re on Earth or a planet light years away, the balance between addressing the now and preparing for the future remains a universal, strategic constant.

The concept of balancing long and short term in strategic thinking is, broadly, pretty obvious. But there is a nuance to this Spark that I want to share with you. That is that this balance is not a question of priorities (short-term imperatives versus long-term goals). The nuance is more a generational thought.

‘A society grows great when old (people) plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.’ This ancient Greek proverb encapsulates the idea of selflessness and investing in the future, emphasising the importance of doing work that benefits future generations, even if one does not personally reap the rewards. The proverb highlights the virtue of thinking long-term and contributing to the greater good without expecting immediate personal gain.

Understand that your strategic thinking will need to hit short-term goals, but also undertake projects and activities now whose payback may happen well beyond your tenure.

In the profound words of Peter Drucker, ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it.’

In the heart of Melbourne, the nonprofit Lifelong Learning Initiative (LLI) was confronting a paradox. Founded on the principle that education can change lives, LLI had always prioritised immediate projects: a literacy program here, a series of workshops there. However, they were haunted by a lingering question: while they were making an impact now, were they truly setting the stage for long-term, transformative change?

Adopting the strategy of balancing long and short term, LLI began by engaging in the time-capsule exercise. They envisaged what they’d like the community’s educational

landscape to look like in a decade, penning letters to future stakeholders. This future- focused reflection highlighted gaps in their strategy. While they were addressing the educational needs of the moment, they weren’t necessarily laying the groundwork for a continually evolving, self-sustaining educational ecosystem.

LLI then shifted gears. They continued their short-term programs but paired them with long-term investments, like mentorship programs where today’s learners could become tomorrow’s teachers, and partnerships with local businesses to ensure evolving curricula aligned with real-world needs.

Today, LLI’s efforts are reaping fruits. Immediate educational needs are being met, but there’s also an ecosystem ensuring that the educational aspirations of the community evolve and are addressed in perpetuity.