What is right in front of us tends to capture our attention and, as a result, garners the most of our time and resources. Schools and colleges are very responsive organizations by nature, especially to the needs of internal stakeholders. And, as a result, they often make decisions and prioritize activity in very operational and tactical ways, depending upon what is directly in front of them, capturing their time and attention.

But, it is important to remember that this is actually the opposite of how great organizations function. They take the long view, rather than the short view, and understand what they are ultimately trying to accomplish as it relates to prioritizing activity and resources. And, in order to do so, they focus on this simple equation:

“Why” they exist, or, what are they really trying to accomplish in the long-term; what problems are they ultimately trying to solve? This is often called their vision or North Star.
“What” they are focusing upon in the long-term, meaning what five or seven major initiatives or strategies are they employing to accomplish their “why”. These are often called strategies.
“How” should they break their long-term objectives in to shorter, bite-size action plans for the immediate and short-term future. These are often called tactics.

The most mature and effective schools and colleges organize their greatest resources around their greatest priorities. And, they do this because they have clarified why they exist, what they are ultimately trying to accomplish, and how that translates into long-term strategies and short-term action plans.