In a world of immediacy, be perseverant.

By Maggie Frye, Founder & Principal Consultant at Core Consulting Group

I order Starbucks from my driveway and expect it to be sitting at the counter when I arrive. I click on toothpaste and expect it at my door in 24 hours. I visit my internet provider’s website and get frustrated if the Chat representative cannot solve my problem in the 3 minutes I have in between meetings. You are reading this blog post with about 2 more seconds of attention before I’m able to hook you. Immediacy. We expect it. We’ve fallen victim to it. However, sustainable success as a business leader is not immediate. My experience as a small business owner over the past few years has taught me this lesson, which at times has felt like nothing shy of an iron fist straight to the gut. One thing I’ve learned is that those who rise above in a world of immediacy are those who demonstrate a relentless perseverance in their pursuits. So how can you practice perseverance in a world that contrastingly builds the expectation of immediate results?

1. Have a plan and work your plan.

Results and success don’t just happen. You have to build a strategy around how to achieve what you want to achieve, and then you have to work your tail off to execute that strategy.

2. Be flexible and contextually intelligent in an ever-changing environment.

You will need to pivot from the original strategy, because nothing ever stays the same. Don’t throw in the towel just because Plan A isn’t working; that’s what Plans B-Z are for. Back to the white board. (Resource Alert! I had the privilege of hearing Matthew Kutz speak about contextual intelligence this week, which is a critically important competency to build strength in as a leader. Visit Matthew’s website to learn more and to order his book: https://www.matthewkutz.com/)

3. Identify and celebrate milestones.

Our ultimate destination may take some time to reach, but small wins are happening all around us every day. Don’t discount them. Fulfill your need for immediacy by identifying milestones and pausing to celebrate. But don’t pause for too long – you have more work to do! To follow along with the “In a World of” series, visit www.core-consultinggroup.com and subscribe to our blog.   About Core Core is an organizational development and communication strategy consulting practice based in Cincinnati, OH that helps transform organizations by empowering them to achieve their fullest potential. They do this by partnering with a diverse set of clients to align, develop and engage their workforce and stakeholders. Core believes that investing in your people and your strategies is investing in your business. Learn more by visiting www.core-consultinggroup.com.