How short-term mindsets can damage the long game

The consequences of a short-term mindset are of course not limited to Regulatory Affairs, they impact all matters of life such as health, finances and relationships to name a few. I won’t get too personal here though and will just focus on what I know I can preach best!

A short-term mindset is not a new concept but I do believe that it is getting worse and that this could be a result of living in a world where we expect immediate satisfaction, results and service. I have always challenged the short-term mindset in Regulatory but am now doing this more often and have to work harder to justify against it.

Unfortunately this mindset is not limited to junior team members who are still finding their way – they are usually easy to identify and mold with some mentoring. The more challenging perpetrators are the senior Regulatory professionals and contractors, as well as the Medical Directors and General Managers that we often report into.

The signs and consequences of a short-term mindset in Regulatory may look like:

• An under-resourced department (both permanently and temporarily)
• Compliance issues – from repeat minor offences to critical issues
• Poor submission strategy resulting in delaying the implementation of essential changes
• Being unprepared for an MHRA inspection, likely resulting in unnecessary findings
• Prioritising tasks from people that shout the loudest
• Restricted impact assessments when changes occur
• Being out of stock and/or writing off stock

As a consultant I have years of experience of working for companies on short-term contracts, my mindset however is never focused solely on achieving the objectives of my assignment. I am also always thinking about the future consequences of all of my actions. Depending on the type of project, I will naturally be asking myself a number of questions, for example:

• Will this strategy allow or block opportunities in the future? Has this been discussed and agreed internally…?
• What will give the company the best long-term outcomes…?
• How will someone know what my rationale for this strategy was…?
• What is the best way for me to file this information to allow it to be found years from now…?
• Are there any potential compliance issues which I should raise…?
• Is there a better way this can be done…?
• Could I justify this action during an inspection…?

The answers to these questions often lead to other questions, and then actions for me to follow through on or to highlight internally.

There are a range of reasons for why people may have a short-term mindset – from their personal approach to life/work, influence from their training or the environment in which they work. If you recognise this in yourself, or the people you manage, there are ways to encourage a new way of thinking, and putting in the hard work now will make your life easier in the long run.

I hope this has given you some food for thought on how to approach tasks with an attitude that will future proof your work and has given you the ammunition to fight your corner when being challenged for your long-term mindset!

If you would like further support in this area reach out to us to discuss our new InFusion mentoring service.

Written by Leah Heathman