You're navigating short-term project changes. How can you ensure they support your long-term research goals?

Ensure that short-term alterations correspond to the major research objectives of the study. Determine whether the changes are beneficial to your strategic goals. If a change does not go towards the achievement of these objectives, then the course needs to be corrected. - Focus on changes that are significant to your overall strategic plan. - Ensure stakeholders understand projects’ objectives and key results identified, by reviewing the alignment often. For example, I once changed the direction of a specific project to conforms to a short-term trend of the market while staying aligned to the general research objectives. This strategic change of focus was helpful in guiding us as we addressed emergent issues.

You now align each change in your short-term project with the long-term goals by clearly defining how each step actually advances your research vision. Then, you constantly analyze the impact of adjustments you make, maintain strategic focus and make sure to have flexibility to adapt while keeping committed to your overarching objectives.

It's all part of the integrated and holistic operating model of any organisation. Remembering the "why" organisations exist supports keeping vision and purpose alive and vibrant. From that energy, we derive long term goals as parts of long term strategy. From the context and the content of those long term goals, we invent and calibrate short term goals. It's key to create and communicate how all these elements fit together in a coherent and transparent story. The story becomes the means to energise and inspire everyone who is part and who is stakeholder in the organisation.

To adapt to sudden changes, start by re-evaluating the project objectives and metrics to determine if there are new parameters that can help enhance or refocus the goals of the project. In addition, it is important to maintain focus on the long-term vision to avoid scope creep or drift; which is why it is important to do regular health checks to ensure the changes aren't in conflict with the long term business goals. These changes should then be communicated clearly with stakeholders to ensure alignment with the revised direction. By staying adaptable and strategic, short-term shifts can drive growth rather than create disruption.