The 1970s seems ancient, but I was a child during that time, playing outdoors every afternoon until dark, searching the creek for tadpoles, and having fun on the local playground equipment. If you’re a child of this century, you’ve probably only heard about the dangerous installations in 1970s playgrounds, called see-saws. 

Ours was a large timber plank about 5 metres long with a metal handle at each end. My friend and I would sit on one end each (trying to avoid splinters), then take turns to push off the ground, rising about 2 metres into the air. If one of us was slightly heavier we would sink quickly when the other pushed off, so we worked out that the lighter one needed to lean out more to create the balance. 

That see-saw was the source of so much joy and learning. We were queens of the castle when we gingerly stood on the see-saw and walked from the lower end to the centre, applying careful pressure until it found equilibrium, then walk down the other side keeping our balance while it tipped the other way.  

We also learned, quite painfully, that it was dangerous if one of us jumped off at the bottom whilst the other was at the top!  

A strategic leader is constantly balancing the future with the present. A focus on what could be is inspirational. It’s fun soaring 2 metres in the air. But the challenges of the present quickly bring us back to earth, sometimes with a jolt.

A strategic leader knows the heavy burden of today needs to be lightened to achieve the exciting goals of the future. That requires the ability to know where you’re going, but also where you’re starting from, so that you can plan to close that gap, one step at a time.