Focussing on the future

As a business leader, I need to think through where and how things will fit in together.  In order to do that, I must understand the systems/people that I need and consider the potential of how the systems/people will develop over time.

From my project background, I usually get allocated people, and it's a "use as effectively as possible and cast away".  There is no much people development as when the project ends, the people disperse.  Running a business requires a lot more thought as to how the pieces will continue to fit in together, even if they are not fitting in now.

All this requires a view of the future.  And I feel that I do not focus on the future.  The future to me is vague, and not that interesting.  I focus on the present and can act of the present with a lot more discipline.
What is need to do is to chunk down the future into really targeted 3 month goals.  Actually the goal is very clear: 4 outlets by the end of 2015, with revenues of $15m.  I need to keep this in mind when making the decisions about systems and the people that are around me.

Breaking this down into three areas:
1. If I take ownership of the business again, what do I need to do to make it run properly as 4 outlets?  What types of people would I have, what types of systems do I need?

2. For every department that I look after now, what do I need to do to make them function as proper departments?  This includes Finance, Purchasing, Legal/Risk, HR, Information Tech.  It will also include Marketing, Business Development, Culinary, Operations.  How will those pieces fit together?  Where are the overlaps?  Can we outsource areas?

3. What can I do to not carry the burden all on myself?  What do I need to let go?  What must I do, and what can everyone else do?  How do I make the best use of the people around me?  Remember that no one is "indispensable".  Build the team that I want, that will help me.  Consider the 4 Hour Workweek.  Limit the work for work.

As part of this ownership, I need to work out how to work with business partners.  I am not being strong enough in demanding for the results. I realise I reward effort vs result, whereas my business partner rewards result vs effort. But I think even with the role of chairman, I still want to help, to make things better.  I am not playing my role properly.  The same feelings keep coming back, the fear that I will be "used", or "commanded" again.  It's no good. I have to get over that fear.