Imagine you’re at an archery range. It’s an open field, a board is set up about 20 metres away, and the circular target with its red bullseye is in clear view.
Before you let the first arrow loose, the instructor lays out the rules. You learn how to use the bow correctly, how to place and draw back the arrow, you learn how to check around you to make sure you aren’t in anyone’s way.
Once the explanation is over, everything else fades, and you zero in on that red circle in the distance.
But there is one more check you need to do: you need to know what’s behind the target.
Is there a person, animal, or object you could possibly hit? Is someone walking out to collect an arrow they previously shot? Is there an open space for a missed arrow to land safely?
It’s easy to focus only on the target, and forget about the possible consequences if we miss. And in the real world—where things are complex and interdependent—the consequences can be severe when we strive hard to hit a target.
We can work so much we forget to cherish our loved ones. We can win deals that are profitable in the short term, but expose us to risk in the long term. We can hit all our targets but have our teams burnout along the way.
For those of us who love a bullseye and a measurable target, we should remember to think about what’s behind the target.