Long-term view or a series of short-term views?

We are forced to think in the moment. Athletes take pain killers to mask the pain so they can play the big game. Down the road, they may have debilitating injuries because of it, but for the moment, they did what it took to play now.

Businesses accept the wrong customer because they need to stay busy, even though that will take their focus off the best customers.

Short-term thinking can happen because of fear, laziness and doubt in our abilities. And it feeds more short-term thinking.

The answer is to realize that you do have the talent, the resourcefulness and the integrity to do what is right, regardless of the pressures of the moment. Doing that ensures you have a long-term and not a series of short-terms.

Barry LaBov
LABOV Marketing Communications and Training
www.labov.com

Timing

Musicians and comedians know that much of their success is based on timing. Musicians have to have a great sense of time; comedians with impeccable timing are hilarious.

In business, we need timing, too. If we launch a product at the perfect time, we are celebrated. That same product at the wrong time is a dud.

We also have time expectations of how long it should take to achieve something or how long it will be before your competitor's product will start to erode your market share. No matter, we all have time expectations.

As I get older and gather the various experiences I receive each day, I find that my sense of timing is not all that good. I expect many things to happen immediately. Other things I expect to not be on the radar screen for years may appear way ahead of schedule, or sometimes, never at all.

Barry LaBov
LABOV Marketing Communications and Training
www.labov.com