Thinking About Strategy? Think LONG Term! Barry Talks to Francis Wade

The Just Great People Podcast - From The Sixsess Consultancy

Summary

In this conversation, Barry Eustance and Francis Wade of Framework Consulting discuss the significance of long-term strategic thinking in organisations.

Francis shares insights from his experience in strategic planning, emphasising the need for game-changing strategies that extend beyond short-term results.

He explains how to overcome the prevalent short-term mindset in executive teams and the importance of backcasting to create a unified long-term vision.

The discussion also touches on the legacy leaders leave behind and the transformative power of thinking long-term.

Takeaways

• Long-term strategy is about game-changing results, not just thinking ahead.
• Organisations often focus too much on short-term results due to pressure from investors.
• Commitment to long-term value creation leads to more ambitious strategies.
• Backcasting helps teams visualise their long-term goals and plan accordingly.
• Short-term actions should align with long-term aspirations for effective strategy.
• Legacy thinking can inspire leaders to make impactful decisions today.
• Diverse age demographics in teams can enhance strategic discussions.
• Facilitating difficult conversations is key to developing a unified strategy.
• Long-term thinking can reveal the irrelevance of current focuses and investments.
• The process of strategic planning should be rigorous and credible to avoid wish lists.

Sound Bites

• "It’s about long-term thinking and strategy."
• "What are you going to argue for?"
• "Thinking Long Term – “the magic happens”

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Long-Term Strategy

10:06 Legacy and Long-Term Thinking

19:34 Facilitating Backcasting for Strategy

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Useful Links

The Sixsess Consultancy Website

https://sixsess.org/

Barry Eustance’s LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-eustance/

Framework Consulting’s Website

https://fwconsulting.com/wordpress/about-us/francis-wade/

Francis Wade’s LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciswade/

Long-Term Strategy Newsletter and Podcast

https://longtermstrategy.info

The Long Term Strategy Conference 2025
https://strategyconf.fwconsulting.com/francis-wade/

The Emergent Approach to Strategy – Peter Compo
https://emergentapproach.com

Peter Compo’s LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercompo/

Keywords

long-term strategy, game-changing results, strategic planning, backcasting, organisational growth, leadership, commitment, vision, legacy, short-term thinking