Thinking about your Strategy? You need both Logic and Insight.

Developing a strategy?

Strategic decision-making is a process that requires both logical analysis and creative insight. As you develop your strategy, remember that you're engaging in the human art of imagination, shaping an uncertain future, and driving meaningful change in your organisation.

Good strategic decision-making

There are distinct stages in strategic decision making:

• Preparation: Gather relevant facts, theories, and historical context related to your situation. This stage lays the groundwork for informed decision-making.  
• Incubation: Step back from intense focus on the problem, allowing your mind to process information non-consciously. This phase often leads to sudden "aha" moments of pattern recognition and creative insight. It is like the sudden alignment of the cogs in a slot machine when you win the jackpot!  And like a slot machine, the occurrence cannot be forced. We can only create the conditions in which it is likely to occur.
• Verification: Translate your insights into actionable solutions, bridging the gap between ideas and implementation.

We may summarise this process as follows:

Analysis and creativity should be combined — but undertaken separately

• Logical analysis provides a structured framework for understanding the current situation.
• Creative insight enables breakthrough thinking and novel solutions to complex problems.

Good strategic decisions require a combination of both logical analysis and creative insight. However, they should be undertaken separately.

Because of these differences, a ‘strategic plan’ should separate strategy and planning.

• Strategy is a learning process achieved through divergent and possibility thinking in order to achieve creative insights and breakthroughs — enhanced by stepping back and  reflection
• Planning is an action-oriented process using convergent thinking and logic to achieve objectives and actions — enhanced by focus and concentration.

Trying to combine the logical planning processes with creative strategy often results in a lack of insight and creative thinking. Action is the enemy of thought.

Setting strategy with your team?

When involving your team in strategy development, consider this approach:

1. Distribute relevant data and context to team members. Allow time for individual reflection and insight generation.
2. Conduct a strategy development meeting using a framework like Roger Martin's "Play to Win."
3. Focus on setting strategic direction without getting bogged down in detailed planning.
4. Develop and distribute an initial strategy document for team feedback.
5. Hold a separate planning meeting to translate strategy into actionable initiatives.

Remember to keep your plan focused, limiting yourself to no more than five broad initiatives to maintain clarity and avoid overextension.