Please! I’m begging you. Stop trying to ‘get future proof’. Future Proof: It’s a catchy phrase but a really dumb business strategy.
Future Proof: It’s a catchy term but a really dumb leadership and business strategy.
I’m not talking about future proofing as it relates to software and computers. I’m talking about trying to “future proof” your business so you’re more resilient and better able to deal with the numerous workforce, social, political, economic, climactic, technological, and security issues facing leaders today. Now, that sounds like a logical desire for a business owner or leader to have, right? Yes, it is. The desire is right, but the term is wrong. Instead of trying to get “future proof”, focus on creating an organization that is continually working to be “future ready”.
Instead of trying to get “future proof”, focus on creating an organization that is continually working to be “future ready”.
By first focusing your leadership team and then your entire organization’s thoughts, behaviors, and operational practices on being future ready, you immediately shift not only their focus but their behaviors. You and they immediately become less focused on defending and holding onto what you had planned or have in play. Instead, when you focus on being future ready, you are more focused on being able to quickly flex to address – and possibly leverage – the unexpected, complex issues that arise. Often these are issues that were never dreamed of when you created your strategic or operational plans. Yet, here they are.
Stop trying to identify and build into a plan or creating an organization that will have THE solution that will future proof and defend against future, unknown challenges. You’re wasting your time, money and resources on a pointless strategy. Instead, focus on creating a team and an entire organization that doesn’t panic, argue, or resist when something unexpected and challenging happens. Focus on creating an organization where dealing with the unexpected becomes a part of everyone’s DNA. Shifting priorities, juggling timelines, and collaborating, communicating, and rescheduling to get the job done, is their job. This doesn’t mean you work in chaos; it means you learn to adjust quickly to meet mission-critical and customer-critical needs.
Trying to future proof your business is impossible. It’s causing you to think defensively. Instead of focusing on trying to defend the business and strategies you had planned, focus on flexing in real time to leverage the challenges and opportunities that keep coming at you. What you knew when you created your plans and current strategies is less than you know now. Adjust, flex, grow, survive and thrive. That’s being future ready.
What you knew when you created your plans and current strategies is less than you know now. Adjust, flex, grow, survive and thrive. That’s being future ready.
Copyright MMXXV – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890
Liz Weber is an advisor to boards of directors, business owners, and C-Suite leaders. She’s a leadership, strategic and succession planning consultant, speaker, and author. She helps her clients focus on the right things at the right times to get the right impact. Learn more about Liz on LinkedIn!