As I write from my apartment in central Jakarta, I hear the pointless honking of car horns until about 8.00pm most days. It is more insistent and longer when it rains.
Every driver is stuck in the traffic, and none of these honkers could possibly believe that their honk will get things moving at last.
We can’t prod the world into working as fast as we’d like.
Whether it is working on my own initiatives, like writing a book, or working with leaders who want to transform their organisation or industry, it takes sustained and patient effort.
I read Seth Godin’s blog occasionally for a mental nudge and in one of his pearls of wisdom he shares the insight that day traders don’t bet on impact. Patient capital is about achieving long term value while day trading is about turning a quick dollar.
This reality exists in almost every domain. An article by McKinsey researchers explain how businesses can pump up their share price in the short term but will eventually pay a high price.
Their point is that creating shareholder value is not the same as maximising short term profits – and companies that confuse the two often put both shareholder value and stakeholder interests at risk.
Industry bodies don’t sign up new members and businesses don’t sign up new sales without first nurturing relationships. The membership and sales come later.
Crops sown today are harvested weeks or months later. Even then, it requires tending to the crop and a dollop of luck.
If you value achieving results and impact then by definition, you are playing a longer game that involves others. The trick of course, is managing the expectations of those who are honking the horn.
Until next week.