The first Secretary General of the United Nations, a Swede named Daj Hammarskjold said, “Only he who keeps his eyes fixed on the far horizon will find his right road.” He was kind of an amazing guy and I would encourage you to read a little more of him.

Now we were all taught this in driver’s ed class, remember? The best way to stay between the lines was to look far down the highway, instead of focusing just in front of the car. You lose your perspective. It is the difference between strategy and tactics. If you focus on the small detail in front of the car, you may miss the big picture, like the road curves to prevent you from driving over a cliff.

Strategy is a Marine Division making a plan to invade and take over an island in World War II in the south Pacific. Tactics are, how are we going to blow up that machine gun nest? In the hotel business, for an Executive Housekeeper, strategy is how can I clean a 100% check out for a 100% early check in? Tactics are getting clean linen on timely basis to the room attendants or getting trash from the guest rooms and into the dumpster. These details “Tactics” are necessary and required but to concentrate on them to the exclusion of your goal “Strategy” is to lose focus and coordination and efficiency. By focusing on details, you lose time. You lose the opportunity to coordinate.

The point again is, you must have a vision for you and your team, if you want to be successful. You have read here before that you must plan your work and work your plan. It is a fine line we walk as managers and it is required of us to find that “complimentary difference” between strategy and tactics in order to be successful.

Don’t let details trip you up, focus on the horizon as you go out and Make it a GREAT DAY!!!