"…a Burning Imperative is different than a Shared Purpose. The difference between the two is really in the element of timing. The Shared Purpose drives the long term while your Burning Imperative drives the next phase of activity on the way to the long term. Remember the Apollo 13 example of “get these men home alive”. Clear. Sharply defined. Intensely shared. Purposefully urgent. It trumps all petty concerns. It didn’t replace the overall shared purpose of exploring the universe to increase man’s knowledge. The Burning Imperative moves the team forward on the way to that longer term Shared Purpose. That’s what you’re aiming for." (1)
Timing matters
Consider the linkage between purpose, objectives and goals, and actions.
- Purpose gets at the long-term settled, determination. Everything else nests within purpose.
- Objectives and goals are tangible things to be achieved or delivered over a defined time period.
- Actions move things forward towards objectives and goals in line with purpose
These can be linked by intentions and milestones.
- Intentions link objectives to purpose so people know why the objectives are important
- Milestones are steps along the way to objectives, linking actions to objectives
When you put this all together, the Burning Imperative is a way to clarify everyones intentions, leveraging milestones to drive actions in line with purposefully urgent objectives and goals.
George Bradt – PrimeGenesis Executive Onboarding and Transition Acceleration
(1) excerpt from The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan – Bradt, Check, Pedraza – Wiley, 2009