Friday, December 16, 2011

Proximate Objectives

Folly is the direct pursuit of happiness and beauty. - George Bernard Shaw

One of a leader's most powerful tools is the creation of a good proximate objective--one that is close enough at hand to be feasible.  A proximate objective names a target that the organization can reasonably be expected to hit, even overwhelm.

For example, President Kennedy's call for the United States to place a man on the moon by the end of the 1960's is often held out as a bold push into the unknown.  Along with Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a Dream" speech, it has become almost a required reference in any of today's "how to be a charismatic leader" manuals extolling the magical virtues of vision and audacious goals.  Actually, however, landing on the moon was a carefully chosen proximate objective. 

ACTION POINT: Select targets that the organization can reasonably be expected to hit and overwhelm.

No comments: