Strategic Thinking is a high-level way of thinking.
Strategic Thinking is a process that defines the manner in which people think about, assess, view, and create the future for themselves and others.
It is an intentional, comprehensive, rational way of understanding how individuals, teams and organizations work.
We use our Systems Thinking Approach® to assist leaders & employees to think strategically every day. Anyone can learn and apply our Systems Thinking Approach®.
“Problems that are created by our current level of thinking can’t be solved by that same level of thinking.” Albert Einstein
Strategic Thinking can be used at any level in your organization: executive, middle management or staff. It can be applied to work or your personal life.
It allows you to be creative. To see both the big picture and the details (without getting stuck in the details) and also assess the unintended consequences, like potential impacts on other teams and projects.
Strategic Thinking includes creating a direction for the organization, as well as, managing the implications of actions at an operational level.
It challenges conventional thinking to foster improved decision making throughout the organization.
Henry Mintzberg wrote in 1994 that strategic thinking is more about synthesis (i.e., “connecting the dots”) than analysis (i.e., “finding the dots”).
Our world is increasingly more complex. We need this outcome-oriented approach to thinking to increase our strategic skills for dealing with this complexity and, thus, become better leaders and individual contributors.
Everyone needs Strategic Thinking to survive in our fast paced, constantly changing world!
For executive coaching or training on Strategic Thinking: Valerie.MacLeod@HainesCentre.com
Why Strategic Thinking is Important
Achieve remarkable results - Thinking impacts your actions. Using strategic thinking will change your actions and therefore, your results.
Simplifies the difficult - Strategic thinking helps you rise above the problem. You find a solution that you couldn't see before.
Informed bias-free decisions - Strategic thinkers limit assumptions. They ask questions to seek clarity. They approach problems with knowledge from their past and fresh, unbiased eyes.
Enhanced foresight - Strategic thinkers are pragmatic leaders. They are capable of keeping their eyes on the future and today at the same time. They can both create strategies and execute simultaneously.
Increased innovation - Strategic thinkers are not content with the status quo. They want to continuously improve because strategic thinking is an interative process.
Expanded influence - Strategic thinking increases the people who listen to you and wnt to follow you. It is essential for leadership.
Be more strategic!
Strategic Thinking changes your results, reduces the unintended consequences and increases your influence.
If you want to make better decisions, become more innovative and work effectively at all levels of the organization - call me!
Strategic Thinking can be learned by anyone!
I was trained as a mathematician, learned strategic thinking and now use it every day.
