You can't ignore the 1 in 60 Rule

If you lead – you need to know the cost of 1 degree of course.

And everyone who sees this post leads, at the very least themselves. But most are responsible for leading (at least some part of) organizations and families.

In Aviation, for every 1 degree your plane veers off course, it misses its target destination by 1 mile every 60 miles you fly.

That means:

After 100 yards, you’ll be off by by 5.2 feet
After a mile, you’re off by 92.2 feet

If you fly around the equator at just 1 degree off course, you’ll be 500 miles off your target destination.

The lesson seems clear:

1. Direction matters.

2. 1% matters.

The compounding impact of your tiny decisions is significant.

Small changes in direction result in big changes (good or bad)

Strategy, setting the course, maintaining the focus, and reflecting on that direction often is seen as a waste of time to too many. Many Prefer to get at “working.”

The truth is – Strategy is hard but important work.

* Hard Truth: Most leaders are more comfortable playing down a level where they had success in their previous role. When we get tired, we revert to what we know or what we like to do. And most leaders are exhausted these days.

To the Leaders out there:

1. Have you set a clear direction?

2. Do you have calendered time for Strategy to reflect and realign on this direction?

3. Are you on course? What metrics tell you that?