Learn about the common challenges that hinder strategic thinking for BRMs, and how to overcome them with practical tools and techniques.

In my experience when facing resistance in the business world, I find that trying to understand the root cause of the resistance to be a great starting point. By including all stakeholders in the decision making process it will give them a better understanding of the proposition and the benefits of it while insuring that any individual concerns are addressed. As always, open communication and transparency are key to all engagements and incorporating all of these should help break down the resistance barriers creating positive relationships and a smooth, successful transition, embracing the change!

What are the most common strategic thinking challenges for BRMs and how can you overcome them?

As a business relationship manager (BRM), you need to think strategically to align your organization's capabilities with its goals and value proposition. However, strategic thinking is not always easy, especially in complex and dynamic environments. You may face some common challenges that hinder your ability to think and act strategically, such as:

1 Lack of clarity

Sometimes, you may not have a clear vision of what your organization wants to achieve, or how your role and function contribute to it. You may also face conflicting or ambiguous expectations from different stakeholders, or lack of alignment among them. This can make it hard for you to prioritize your actions, communicate your value, and measure your impact.

To overcome this challenge, you need to seek clarity and alignment from your leadership and stakeholders. You can use tools such as the BRM strategic partnering approach, the business value ability framework, and the value plan to define and communicate your organization's vision, mission, goals, and value proposition. You can also use the relationship maturity model to assess and improve the level of trust and collaboration among your stakeholders.

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Dimitrios Diamantaras

Division Supervisor/Master's Degree Lancaster University/Linkedin Content Contributor
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One of the most common strategic thinking challenges for Business Relationship Management is to combat and reduce the negative consequences of lack of clarity. It is part of human nature to keep some facts and data reserved from others and this can make partners keep goals, aspirations and roles only for themselves, but at the same time expect from their partners full clarity. So the establishment of proper and functioning communication channels is important in order to shed light in all dark points that can be sources of difficulty. Mutual confidence and openess between partners must always be there in order to maximize synergies and improve effectiveness.

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Mayur Jaidev Betarbet - (PMI - PMP)

Director for Sales and Operation at Addon Skills®
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Communication Gaps: The Challenge: Difficulty in effectively communicating complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Develop strong communication skills. Use clear and simple language, avoid jargon, and focus on the business impact of IT initiatives. Foster open and transparent communication to bridge gaps between IT and business teams.

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2 Cognitive biases

Cognitive bias can be a major challenge for strategic thinking, as it leads to the tendency of processing information in a way that confirms existing beliefs or preferences, or simplifies complex situations. Examples of such biases include confirmation bias, anchoring bias, framing bias, and availability bias. To counter these influences, it's important to challenge your own assumptions and opinions, and seek diverse and objective perspectives from others. Utilizing tools such as the six thinking hats, the five whys, and the SWOT analysis can help explore different angles and scenarios, as well as identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Additionally, feedback loops and data-driven decision making can be used to test and validate hypotheses and actions.

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3 Resistance to change

A third challenge that can hinder your strategic thinking is resistance to change, which is a natural human reaction to uncertainty, ambiguity, or loss of control. You may face resistance from yourself, your team, or your stakeholders, when you need to adapt to changing circumstances, adopt new technologies or processes, or implement new strategies or initiatives.

To overcome this challenge, you need to embrace change as an opportunity for learning and growth, and foster a culture of agility and innovation in your organization. You can use tools such as the change management framework, the ADKAR model, and the Kotter's 8-step process to plan and execute change initiatives, and to address the emotional and behavioral aspects of change. You can also use the BRM core values and competencies, such as trust, empathy, creativity, and influence, to engage and empower your stakeholders, and to co-create value and solutions.

Strategic thinking is a crucial skill for BRMs, but it is not without challenges. By recognizing and overcoming these common challenges, you can enhance your ability to think and act strategically, and to deliver value for your organization and stakeholders.

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Gary Hepplewhite QFA

Seasoned Financial Services Leader Driving Global Growth and Client Success
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In my experience when facing resistance in the business world, I find that trying to understand the root cause of the resistance to be a great starting point. By including all stakeholders in the decision making process it will give them a better understanding of the proposition and the benefits of it while insuring that any individual concerns are addressed. As always, open communication and transparency are key to all engagements and incorporating all of these should help break down the resistance barriers creating positive relationships and a smooth, successful transition, embracing the change!

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4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the most common strategic thinking challenges for BRMs and how can you overcome them?

1

2

3

4

1 Lack of clarity

2 Cognitive biases

3 Resistance to change

4 Here’s what else to consider

Business Relationship Management

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What are the most common strategic thinking challenges for BRMs and how can you overcome them?

1

2

3

4

1 Lack of clarity

2 Cognitive biases

3 Resistance to change

4 Here’s what else to consider

Business Relationship Management

Rate this article

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