I never have any time for strategy. Help!

Dear Aunty B,

Every time I try to set aside time to work on strategy I get dragged down into the latest stuff up by my staff.

Today? I thought I had it all sorted to come in and spend a day with my door shut to put down my thoughts from the long weekend. But no. I arrive at work to find my new GM of six weeks, whom I hired to make my life easier, has blown my budget by $80,000 by giving pay rises to a few disgruntled staff who I was hoping would leave, a supplier is suing us because of a stupid miscommunication and a contract that I was desperate to win has not hit the mark. That means my strategy day will be spent with lawyers, a GM who can’t understand what she has done wrong and overseeing a new pitch!

Aunty, how does anyone get their nose over the horizon, ever?!

Head in the sand,
Victoria

Dear Head in the sand,

Now take a deep breath. This day too will pass. First your GM. It sounds like you have given your GM a lot of responsibility without making her responsible. It is always a big mistake to hire new people, tell them to fix problems without spelling out that the budget is the budget and the budget will never be exceeded without being offset in some other area or the board agrees to reforecast.

If a staff member has the authority to spend money, then they must be tied into a budget. So make that clear. You may also need to spend a lot more time than you think (sorry to make your day worse) with that new GM. They need a lot of mentoring!

I am sure you are ensuring those supplier problems are sorted and the pitch is tweaked to hit the mark. So my friend, all your problems could be sorted in a few days, which leaves this Friday. This Friday is strategy day. Stay home, turn your phone off and write it all down. Finish the day early, go for a walk to clear your head and then do no work on the weekend. By Sunday afternoon you will start to think about execution and times lines.

And remember. You won’t remember today’s problems next week. But your company depends on your strategy and drive for its future. What is more important?

Be smart,
Your Aunty B

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