Having your company’s Vision, Mission and Value statements published and well-understood are an important facet of leadership, but they can be just too big and long-term for everyone to buy into.

Many leaders now talk about their BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) as a way to excite and energise people – a good example being President Kennedy’s famous one from 1961, “This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth.” 

Again, however, BHAGs are generally fairly long term, typically 10 years – as they need to be if they’re to be big and hairy enough. So, while it gives people an exciting goal to aim for, they need something more near-term to be able to focus their daily activities on..

And this is what great leaders do. They have an “Overarching Medium-Term Goal” (OMG) as business growth consultant Les McKeown calls it. This is a goal that is taking the business towards the BHAG, but is measured in months or, perhaps, a couple of years. And there should be just one OMG in play at a time – more would cause confusion.

The individual strategies of the departments and teams working towards the OMG and, therefore, the BHAG, form the component parts of these goals. When looking at strategies, processes and even meetings, the question then becomes one of whether they will help move the business closer to the OMG. If not, why should they not be discarded?

Great leaders make the OMG public, so everyone can buy into it. After all, the goal should be motivational, so sharing it and having everyone ensure their activities will contribute to achieving it will be beneficial.

And great leaders ensure the OMG is foremost in their minds at all times, and that everything they do and say moves the business towards it.

What’s your OMG?

If you don’t have one yet, what should it be?

#BusinessFitness #Excellence #GoalSetting #Growth #Leadership #Motivation #Planning #Productivity #Strategy #Success #Winners

Other short posts related to this that you might find interesting include:

• You’re Driving, But Does Everyone Know The Destination?
• “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
• Is This the Most Important Leadership Skill for Success?
• You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
• “A surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence.” – Sonia Sotomayer
• “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” — Napoleon Hill
• “Don’t should all over yourself” – Tony Robbins
• Is Your Strategy Fit for Purpose?
• “Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” – Dwight Eisenhower