Spyglass and Microscope: Balancing Strategic Vision with Operational Details

Few of us have the possibility to look through the spyglass beyond the horizon into the next 5 or 10 years for a corporation. Yet the strategy becomes the target for the future for all employees.

The Long-Term Vision

Few of us have the possibility to look through the spyglass beyond the horizon into the next 5 or 10 years for a corporation. Even if the future is not 'visible', the strategy, the set road for the corporation, becomes the target for the future for all its employees.

Strategic Vision Elements

Some aspects of this personal vision are shared with others within the company, others are not. Acquisitions, new targeted markets, downsizing or production transfers are the ones which usually remain in the backyard, not shared.

The annual target for the next five-year sales turnover is the main outcome of this outlook, becoming the milestone for the yearly budget exercise.

Small things and colorful images sometimes create distorted vision and blind spots.

Optical Instruments

The Right Tool for Every Perspective

From strategic vision to daily operations - choosing the correct optical instrument

Spyglass

5-10 Years

Strategic Long-Term Vision

Few of us have the possibility to look through the spyglass beyond the horizon into the next 5 or 10 years for a corporation. The strategy becomes the target for all employees, with some aspects shared and others kept private.

Main outcome: Annual target for next five-year sales turnover

Binoculars

Annual Budget

Yearly Budgeting Exercise

The binocular is needed for the Yearly Budgeting time, always bringing great hopes and despairs for the plant's management and central functions. The horizon seen by the top few, especially regarding turnover, is usually not consistent with the figures coming from sales.

The consolidated annual report in controlling does not match with the original sales. So we do it again and again to meet the milestones for the budget exercise, all of these with huge effort from a large number of people.

Warning: Sometimes what you 'see' is the reality of your budget. Don't lie to yourself; don't fix the image - you will 'see' it all year long in details.

Glasses

Monthly SIOP

Monthly SIOP Meeting

Put on your glasses for the usual monthly SIOP meeting looking to the next quarter results. You need to 'see' the direct heads, as well as to take into account (predict) the disruptions with new projects.

All of these after you will have leveled the sales and have made your magic over the stock variation and at the last (but not least) have compared it with the budget and start to prepare some further excuses regarding the differences.

Focus on quarterly forecasting and performance alignment

Naked Eye

Weekly Review

Weekly Review of Targets

You need to use your naked eye to go through the weekly review of the targets and 'see' the end of the month results. Mainly to 'see' and 'believe' how the month will end / how far or close you are from the target.

At least 'learn' what you shall do next time. It is time for reflection and understanding about the impact on the results.

Dangerous habit: Wearing horse blinders and pretending this helps you focus on results

Microscope

Daily Operations

Daily Results Analysis

Many people within companies will use the 'microscope' to look at the daily results, analyze the deviations, take actions based on the data 'seen'. Unfortunately, the truth is that very few are able to look through the daily microscope at the reality of production lines.

Simply, the data is ignored and the usual expectation is that the 'top' management will tell us what to do.

Critical: Being able to see the actual reality on the production floor, not just data

Proper Use of Optical Instruments

All instruments are valuable - when used correctly

The Key to Success

All of the above mentioned 'optical instruments' will help you only if you use them correctly. Each one serves a specific purpose and provides valuable insights at different organizational levels and timeframes.

Attention: Health Warnings

Incorrect use of optical instruments can cause serious organizational ailments:

Blurry Corporate Vision

Inability to see the real situation clearly, leading to misguided strategies and poor decision-making

Denial of Reality

Ignoring or distorting facts to match desired outcomes instead of adapting to actual conditions

Corporate Paralysis

Inability to make decisions or take action due to conflicting or unclear perspectives

The Forbidden Instrument

Never, Never Ever!

But never, never ever, look into the Kaleidoscope to 'see' your business!

Why Never Use a Kaleidoscope?

A kaleidoscope creates beautiful but constantly changing, fragmented patterns that bear no relationship to reality. Using it to view your business means you're seeing pretty illusions instead of actual facts - a recipe for disaster. It represents the ultimate distortion of reality, where every turn creates a completely different picture with no grounding in truth.

The Art of Balanced Vision

Success in business requires mastering all optical instruments - knowing when to look far ahead with the spyglass, when to examine details with the microscope, and everything in between. The key is using the right instrument at the right time, while always maintaining a clear, undistorted view of reality.