My Long Range Planning Summarized [now = 7th phase]
I’ve done these “Long Term” documents for some time. Essentially as part of Facilitating a SIM Midwest chapter Regional Leadership Forum exercise, in 1994, to do a 10 year plan. I chose to try doing a 30 year plan instead, but couldn’t put it into words, even for weeks after the forum. I eventually tried painting it, which worked surprisingly well. A early symbolic representation of that painting in the form of four icons, i.e., summarized, is below.
This has been, over the years, a very productive exercise, having sequentially been re-issued as a 25 year plan, then a 20 & a 15 year documents, then a 11 year plan,….And finally now, called my “7th Phase” of life, which is the existing overall plan for the rest of my life
Initially it was all professional or business focused, i.e., TDG, Inc. The current version attempts to “shape” a long, broad view of activities and aspirations for the rest of BOTH our personally estimated life expectancies. It also now includes my focus on a form of 3 dimensional art I’m engaged in….. creating various Inukshuks. A fifth icon! There are many in my office, and in the hands of family, friends, & clients. I believe this new art form reflects a much deeper and more personal set of planning tracks. They are perhaps my form of the planning which many people do approaching retirement @ 65, and which I skipped entirely. I have actually been doing this, my form of retirement, now in my 86th, for some time as a version of full life planning, – Carefully, elegantly, productively, effectively, non-traditionally, with a substantial reduction & shift from the organizational work formerly done in TDG, Inc. After a “glide down” there, over several years of very successful, fulfilling activity , we shut down completely TDG, Inc. , on 12/31/2018. I will continue to do individualized executive coaching of graduates or sponsors of my many [c. 300+] past Leadership Learning Forums, as a sole proprietor. Especially with those who want to do their own form of that “Magical” process.
I’ll do this now, via phone, electronic or virtual systems, doing as well, my more personal focus, more family focus, and more interactions within my network.
The original four icons below, were useful reflections of my long range intentions, first expressed in 1994, and are so now, with the Inukshuks, in more detail in my 7th Phase -enjoy & optimize. This document is however c. 45+ pages long. Too much! I still use these five icons to help reduce the size W/O losing meaning. They are in fact a good summary in my evolving web site.
I have set Thanksgiving 2019 as a good time to checkpoint these goals of mine. The crucial words or phases below, are highlighted.
| Be an effective Communicator – a “tower” or relay dish, both Transmitting and Receiving. |
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| Be a Connecting Apparatus, or Bridge of meaning and value between opposite dimensions / ideas / attitudes/people… A Catalyst! |
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| Find Tai Chi [Yin & Yang] for understanding, unity, motion & fluidity in all things, in all times. The full circle idea! |
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| Build on my solid base of experience which is a deep foundation for all my chosen focus areas, integrated for strength, in new creations, as a constant endeavor. |
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If you’d like to know more about this ongoing quest of mine, and are ready to contribute your own version of personal long term thinking, please call or Email me for a dialogue.
