Trend management is essential to engage with change, and fundamental to the process of shifting from a mindset of short-term thinking to long-term rewards. This is quite a leap, as it requires us to challenge the status quo. In particular, we must question the focus on delivering goals within a short time frame that we see affecting leadership in business and society as well as individuals and their lifestyle choices.

Traditional corporate culture tends to focus on operations and projected growth, in short-term cycles – at the risk of losing out on the opportunities (and averting the possible threats) that become apparent when we step back and look at the ‘bigger picture’ in a long-term frame.

For too long, ‘busy’ has been a hallmark of success, measured in constant frenetic activity. The sink or swim mentality has dictated how we consider ourselves in the working environment and we have developed a clear bias for ‘doing’ over ‘thinking’. But being busy is easy – there will always be another meeting to attend, another problem to solve or another email to write. Taking the necessary time out to think is harder to justify, even though it is an essential strategic investment.

Critical thinking time is essential in a complex, rapidly changing world and economy. If fear of the market, the opposition, the balance sheet, rules your organisation’s everyday agenda, then it is even more crucial to take a step back and prioritise this critical time to think. This is an investment in the future of your brand, products and services; BUT, more importantly, it is an in investment in yourself as a balanced human being and a purpose-driven leader.

Similarly, if your output and your innovation capacity is drying up in the face of eternal firefighting and you only have the opportunity to consider things through the prism of the next set of targets, then it’s definitely time to step away from the office and your daily routine to regain the broader perspective and rekindle the passion for what you do.

Most people can tell you about the WHAT and the HOW of their job, but when it comes to the WHY? it is often much harder. Ultimately, this comes down to answering the question: “why do I get up in the morning to go to work?”

Time to think has always been a core proposition in my work as a futurist and the founder of Kjaer Global. It is what informs the trend management process because it’s a proactive way to make the most of your ‘time out’.

Finally, consider for a moment the words of Abraham Lincoln, who said: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe”. This quote highlights the critical relationship between the accomplishment of a strategy and careful consideration and planning. Or, as Peter Drucker said: “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection, will come even more effective action”.

In the next lesson…

We discuss the mindset of a futurist and the benefits of planning for the future.