Now Over Later

Discussions around budgeting, performance management, and project methodology reveal consistent prioritization of immediate results. Long-term consequences are acknowledged but not weighted in decisions.

## Trigger Signals

• Quarterly targets override annual strategy
• Long-term consequences acknowledged but not weighted
• "We know, but we need this quarter"
• Future discounted in every trade-off

## Why It Persists

Quarterly incentives are real. Future consequences are abstract. The people who will deal with later aren't in the room deciding now.

## Common Misdiagnosis

• "We're being pragmatic"
• "We have to hit our numbers"
• "Long-term is a luxury we can't afford"
• "This is just temporary"

## Cost of Ignoring

Technical debt accumulates. Relationships get extracted rather than invested in. The organization optimizes itself into a corner. Future options narrow.

• Quarterly targets override annual strategy
• Long-term consequences acknowledged but not weighted
• "We know, but we need this quarter"
• Future discounted in every trade-off

## Why It Persists

Quarterly incentives are real. Future consequences are abstract. The people who will deal with later aren't in the room deciding now.

## Common Misdiagnosis

• "We're being pragmatic"
• "We have to hit our numbers"
• "Long-term is a luxury we can't afford"
• "This is just temporary"

## Cost of Ignoring

Technical debt accumulates. Relationships get extracted rather than invested in. The organization optimizes itself into a corner. Future options narrow.

Quarterly incentives are real. Future consequences are abstract. The people who will deal with later aren't in the room deciding now.

## Common Misdiagnosis

• "We're being pragmatic"
• "We have to hit our numbers"
• "Long-term is a luxury we can't afford"
• "This is just temporary"

## Cost of Ignoring

Technical debt accumulates. Relationships get extracted rather than invested in. The organization optimizes itself into a corner. Future options narrow.

Long-term consequences are acknowledged but not weighted in decisions. The future is consistently discounted. Trade-offs default to immediate results.

## What It Looks Like In the Wild

Discussions around budgeting, performance management, and project methodology reveal consistent prioritization of immediate results. Long-term consequences are acknowledged but not weighted in decisions.

## Trigger Signals

• Quarterly targets override annual strategy
• Long-term consequences acknowledged but not weighted
• "We know, but we need this quarter"
• Future discounted in every trade-off

## Why It Persists

Quarterly incentives are real. Future consequences are abstract. The people who will deal with later aren't in the room deciding now.

## Common Misdiagnosis

• "We're being pragmatic"
• "We have to hit our numbers"
• "Long-term is a luxury we can't afford"
• "This is just temporary"

## Cost of Ignoring

Technical debt accumulates. Relationships get extracted rather than invested in. The organization optimizes itself into a corner. Future options narrow.

• "We're being pragmatic"
• "We have to hit our numbers"
• "Long-term is a luxury we can't afford"
• "This is just temporary"

## Cost of Ignoring

Technical debt accumulates. Relationships get extracted rather than invested in. The organization optimizes itself into a corner. Future options narrow.

Technical debt accumulates. Relationships get extracted rather than invested in. The organization optimizes itself into a corner. Future options narrow.