Preparation and execution – the keys to success

Navigating the wilderness and dealing with government have a lot in common, as you may discover when Queensland changes government on October 26 and we face a federal election next year. 

Federally, if Labor is re-elected, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will have to form a minority government with the Teals or, God forbid, the Greens. 

If the Opposition is victorious, Peter Dutton may need to form an alliance with some of the more Liberal-aligned Teals.

Either way, are you ready for the potential consequences of change?

It reminds me of my recent wilderness experience and the saliant lesson I learned the hard way. 

Two weeks ago, I headed to Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in the middle of Tasmania. The mission was to complete the overland track in four days rather than seven, accompanied by my son, some mates and three guides. 

The park is periodically closed in winter when weather conditions are hazardous, unpredictable and unsuitable for humans. It’s a cold, wet, deserted landscape that’s magnificent in its rawness and ever-changing terrain, and I was pleased how well I managed the trek with so little physical preparation. 

However, when I returned to Brisbane I was felled by a bacterial infection. I was surprised how fast I deteriorated without the adrenaline, camaraderie and challenge that fuelled our journey. Just days before, I’d felt like a superhero keeping up with men half my age as we climbed the mountain and traversed 50km in tough conditions.

Despite having all the good gear, the right team, an execution plan, and strong mental preparation, I’d failed to prepare my 60-year-old body for the mission. Unfortunately, the body keeps a ledger and I paid a price for my inadequate preparation.

Looming elections represent the same challenge to businesses and organisations.

With 50 days until the Queensland election, are you comprehensively prepared for the new political landscape when the LNP forms government? Are you engaged with the players of today and tomorrow? Looking to Canberra, are you ready to navigate a minority government next year? Have you thought about likely changes to key policies?

At the SAS Group, we can provide considered answers to these questions. Our business is not about hindsight; it’s about insight and foresight to navigate the ever-changing political landscape. As a multipartisan team, we’re abreast of the big picture and well connected in all tiers of government so we can help our clients be fully prepared.

Whether you’re facing the Tasmanian or the political wilderness, confidence and planning might get you to your destination, but you need a healthy outcome. In my case, there was no substitute for physical training, and I paid the price of poor preparation. It turns out the short cut can often be the long way around.

If you’re not fully prepared for a new government in Queensland or a minority government in Canberra, reach out to the SAS Group and avoid being left in the wilderness.