It’s only Short-Term

It all started six weeks ago, the company I work for let go a few folks and one of my peers was asked to step in and do their jobs “Short-Term”, about 60 days. No problem, there were three that were asked to pick up his previous responsibilities. Ok, I was busy, but I could manage the new things without too much extra effort. I would go into work at 7am instead of 7:30 and should be ok.

Short Term: adjective
Intended, used, or present for a limited time: impermanent, interim, provisional, short-range, temporary.

About three weeks ago we were all called into the boss’s office and he informed us he was making some more adjustments and added a few more things to my list of responsibilities, “short term”. Wait, this time he wasn’t giving me just a few extras, he gave me a couple of major items and I told him there was no way I could do it all at this time. Too bad, it happened, but I did off load one minor time consuming task. I have been coming in before 7am and then working most evenings at home for at least an hour since that time and finally yesterday for the first time I thought I was making headway and getting things organized.

Short term gratification often rules in America. Corporations often meet their quarterly financial goals at the expense of the organization’s long term health. Fast food customers are aware of the long term implications of eating a steady diet of greasy food but are opting for short term gratification as well.

Then this morning, my boss walks into my office and closes the door behind him and informs me that they have terminated the employment of one of the guys and that “short term” we would have to take on more responsibility. In six weeks we have gone from a four person group to a two person group and of the two of us that are left I am the most senior with six months of employment with this company. I went from busy to swamped and now it will be crazy in the “short term”.

As managers, senior executives and CEOs all over have painfully discovered, if you don’t manage for the short term, you won’t be around for the long term. Companies who plan for their long-term goals will be along much longer than those who only think in short-term gratification.

The Brain Battles Between Short Term Emotions And Long Term Logic