Proximate objectives

Insight

A proximate objective is one that is close enough to be feasible — you can reasonably expect to accomplish it. Good leaders set objectives that are ambitious yet within reach given the organization's skills and resources. The hallmark of a skilled strategist is the ability to judge what is just within reach and set objectives accordingly, creating a cascade of achievable wins.

Why This Matters

Grand visions fail when they're too far from where you stand today. Proximate objectives solve this by breaking ambition into steps that people can actually execute on. They create momentum: each achieved objective shifts the landscape and makes the next one possible. This is the difference between strategy as fantasy and strategy as action.

Source Highlights

!Good Strategy Bad Strategy - Rumelt#^ref-12124

Related Concepts

goal-setting | execution | strategy | momentum