HOW STRATEGIC THINKING MAKES YOU A BETTER LEADER

This article was originally featured on my blog, The Reflection Bank.

Although “strategy” has been a business buzz word for some time now, it’s startling how often it’s poorly defined, communicated and implemented. Often, strategy is viewed as a plan or long term goal, when in reality it’s neither. Granted, a plan and goals can be components of a strategy, but they are not defining characteristics. A successful strategy is an evolving framework by which one makes decisions reaching beyond merely meeting operational objectives and striving for fulfilling the purpose and identity of your brand. Strategy provides you the lens through which you view your daily actions; does this path embody who we are and why we do the work we do?

Integrating this perspective with your leadership approach can seem challenging. There will be times when your day-to-day operations benefit from courses of action that may not appear to embody your strategic vision. Your subordinates will not always grasp the big picture and your colleagues may be adamant about a divergent means to the same end. These challenges can be mitigated by consistently implementing tactics that embrace and facilitate strategic thinking and execution.

Relentlessly Communicate Your ‘Why’

I’m sure many of you have seen or read Simon Sinek’s thoughts on establishing purpose, but if you haven’t, stop what you’re doing and watch this. Once you’ve established your ‘why,’ communicate the hell out of it. As a leader, it is critical that you consistently communicate your strategy and its intent to your teams. Not only will this ingrain it in their minds, but it demonstrates commitment to your strategy.

Recruit for Diverse Perspectives

I mentioned earlier that a strategy consists of an evolving framework by which you make decisions. No matter how hard we try to avoid this, as leaders our perspectives may narrow the longer we are in a particular role or company. Have the courage to hire individuals who are capable of bringing fresh and even contrary ideas to your organization and processes.

Seek Out and Embrace Productive Change

No strategy should be set in stone and neither should your approach to executing it. The world we live in is ever-changing so we must encourage our teams to properly perceive and adapt to these vagaries. Take it a step further and allow them to initiate and drive progressive change.

Promote Transparency

Strategies require everyone to be on the same page: fully aware of the good, the bad and the ugly. The more informed an organization’s members are about the processes and objectives they are a part of, the more likely they are to understand your strategy and make the productive decisions needed to bring it to fruition.

Reflection and Self-Assessment

Where do you stand today relative to last quarter? How has the environment we operate in and the consumer we serve changed? Is our decision-making process still keeping our strategy front and center, or have other motives clouded our judgment? Questions like these should be asked often and repetitively to ensure we are keeping our eyes on the ball. This practice can bring value from the table both at the individual and group level, with one often benefiting the other.

Trust, Safety and Productive Failure 

Failure has been a prerequisite to the greatest triumphs mankind has ever achieved. For your teams to embrace this idea, they need to feel safe in their work environments, allowing them to take the risks necessary to purposefully meet the high demands of an ambitious strategy. Trust is foundational to this sense of safety and it is up to leadership build and maintain this faith in one another’s efforts.

Understanding and implementing these ideas as a manager allows you to develop your ability to think strategically and learn to embrace the language and process of strategy. Together, these six concepts will improve the formulation of strategies, enhance your implementation process and build a culture of impassioned commitment.