It’s Kind Of Like Long-Distance Hiking; Show Them the Mountain, Not the Horizon

Show them the Mountain, Not the Horizon

There is a lot of strategy talk right now. In this uncertain landscape, business leaders have been forced to rethink everything. From their go-to-market approach and financial structure to their business model and long-term market viability.

To leaders who are energized by change and opportunity, this is a time of excitement and rejuvenation. To others, there is a feeling of responsibility where they feel like they owe it to the legacy team to keep them engaged and to lengthen the product lifecycle of the traditional brand. 

To successfully navigate any business transformation, leaders need to successfully hold the tensions between keeping the classic team and business engaged, while launching new innovations and ultimately a new business within an existing one. 

This dance is a delicate one, but if done well the business will be successful in prolonging the legacy offerings long enough for the new innovations to take off creating an overlap of profit lines.

This is harder than it appears as often there are two camps that need unique attention. The innovators need to hear about the future and growth opportunities, and they need to feel like they are making a difference. The classics need to feel respected for what they have contributed over the past and not feel that their value to the team will end if business strategies that have worked before are now being retired.

I have found that the best way to balance leadership to support both innovators and classics, is to talk about the mountain ahead and not the horizon. What I mean by this is that we need to find a common ground. Something in the future distance like a mountain to work towards, while not overwhelming the group with the vision of the horizon.

This is where many leaders fail. They discuss the prospect of 10 times growth and achieving a 100 million revenue target, which excites them but offers little motivation at the frontline. What leaders need to remember is that this strategy is for them. What the team needs is a snapshot of the mountain ahead and what winning this year looks like.

When communicating change or a new vision this month, consider illustrating the journey as scaling a mountain rather than just reaching the horizon.