By: Lindsay Angelo, MBA, Growth Strategist, Futurist
Excellent strategic thinking is an absolute necessity if you intend to make forward progress with your most stubborn dilemmas. It's a multifaceted skill that can unlock solutions in all areas of your life - the ultimate superpower.
But thinking strategically isn't the final step in your journey. Thoughts need actions to back them up, which is where strategic planning comes in. Strategic thinking and planning are the tools you will use to develop a thriving brand.
But how do they correlate and differ, and how do you apply both? Let’s dive in.
What is strategic thinking?
Strategic thinking is, at its root, the ability to evaluate problems and opportunities and make effective decisions that support your goals or the goals of your business (more in this video post).
Why is strategic thinking important?
Digital connectivity, a post-pandemic climate, and competition between digital giants—all of these factors mean that the environment we’re operating in is more complex than ever. With that comes a growing need to work through these problems effectively and in a way that will accomplish your goals.
This’s where strategic thinking comes into play.
Strategic thinking leads to planning
Once you’ve grasped strategic thinking, strategic planning is the act of translating it into a game plan or strategic plan. Ultimately, strategic thinking is the method, strategic planning, the madness—or the outcome.
This may seem confusing at first, but try to imagine it as the thought before the action. One is a precursor to the other.
Applying strategic thinking and planning
Applying strategic thinking so that you can start planning takes conscious effort. It also takes confidence in your ability to learn the skill. Lacking confidence? Don’t be! Anyone can be a great strategic thinker—from CEOs to managers to freelancers and founders. It just takes the right training - you are on your way just by reading this post!
As the world continues to move faster, immense agility will be called for, making strategic thinking and planning even more important. These skills allow you to parlay a complex situation into an advantage. They enable you to see through the roadblocks and instead identify opportunities - and to approach situations from different perspectives while managing change like a champ!
In order to keep up with the world, strategic thinking and planning are more than just impressive skills, they are essential.
What does strategic planning look like?
Here are some of the very basic scenarios where you can apply strategic thinking and planning:
Common Issues
If you struggle to get to work on time, re-evaluate your morning routine by looking at where you started to lose track of it and identifying the root cause using an issue tree. You might be surprised to find that you can trace it all the way back to the beginning of your day. If traffic is the root cause, consider adjusting your alarm clock a little earlier, or taking an alternative route with fewer traffic lights.
Complex issues
If your team consistently falls behind on deadlines, pointing fingers at the people directly involved may not be the ideal solution. Issues like this in a business environment are far more complex. In this example, a strategic thinker will zoom out and ask critical questions.
Have there been budget cuts? Are the staff and managers unhappy? You can brainstorm probable causes by applying hypothesis-driven problem-solving and issue trees to identify the root cause. You can then take action to course correct.
Finding a strategic thinking course
Thinking strategically isn't something you can master overnight, but you can start taking action now to work toward your long-term goals.
If you're looking for a little extra guidance, click here to download your free strategic problem-solving template.
Want to skip straight to Mastery? Sign up for early access to our self-led strategic masterclass today!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
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Yes, this course is delivered virtually online and is built for flexibility and an interactive format. If you're a brand or an organization, a blended learning format is also available.
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It’s training that teaches you to think more strategically about your work, business—and life. In the context of business strategy, it teaches you how to identify business opportunities and make powerful and effective strategic decisions that maximize resources and enable you to achieve your vision!
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See here for additional examples of strategic thinking.
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One is the method, the other is the madness. More in the article above!
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Yes, it includes a module on narrative-driven story-telling using the pyramid principle, a natural derivative of hypothesis-driven problem-solving.
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This course is for business leaders wanting to make a big impact and level up their performance through strategic thinking — from CEOs and founders to Senior Executives, Business Executives, Corporate Leaders, Senior Vice Presidents, Senior Leaders, Senior Management, business owners, and freelancers. We reach a wide array of industries - retail, consumer products, technology, saas, health and wellness, finance...come one come all!
Have a business unit, business function, or team? We tailor to you, too!
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This online course takes roughly three to four hours to complete. We recommend a set of "sprints" — i.e. one-two hours per week for three weeks. That said, we designed the course to be self-led so you can go at your most comfortable pace.
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Mastering strategic thinking and strategic planning delivers a competitive advantage that will differentiate you in the marketplace. It sets you up to make informed decisions based on your business goals. You will also learn how to develop problem-solving skills using the MECE framework, critical thinking, and leadership skills. More specific learning and development outcomes can be found here.
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Check out Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business School Online. Harvard Business School Online has a host of resources as your disposal.
About Lindsay
Lindsay provides growth strategy and foresight services to purpose-driven brands. Named a global innovation leader and Women to Watch, you will find her at the intersection of strategy, story-telling and innovation. When she’s not collaborating with clients, she’s hitting TEDx and other stages across North America to deliver keynotes on the future of consumerism, strategy and innovation. Prior to advising and providing brand and marketing consulting services, Lindsay spent six years at lululemon crafting their global growth strategy, exploring new marketplace opportunities and growing the company into the number one yoga wear player in the world. Her experiences culminate in what she refers to as her sweet spot - where strategy, innovation and insights intersect, where the rational meets the emotive, where facts meet insights and where logic meets creativity.
