Strategic Thinking and Strategic Planning
Strategic Thinking
Strategic thinking is crucial, and it is a skill that is frequently becoming underdeveloped in a business environment today. The leaders in the business environment, for example, managers should ensure that they create time for strategic thinking through daily interactions in their respective organizations. Strategic planning and strategic thinking exhibit the same features, but they are different and are also crucial in a business environment. With leaders who can incorporate strategic thinking as well as strategic planning, success will be experienced in a business environment. The following are the techniques from the articles to ensure critical thinking.
Article #1
Strategic Planning
The technique of strategic planning encourages organizational managers to develop strategic planning. Strategic planning is a primary requirement for critical strategic thinking. It is a long-term requirement. Therefore, it should be daily considered (Kabacoff, 2014).
Provision of Information
The provision of relevant information on the current market is necessary. It includes information on customers, the industry, competitors, and current trends.
Connecting Managers with Mentors
When the managers are connected with the mentors, they can be trained in various ways of developing an effective critical thinking strategy (Kabacoff, 2014).
Article #2 CEO.com
Observe Your Employees
The leaders in the business organization must ensure that they assess their current organizational structure, technology, product, culture, and the current business model. Different tools can be used, for example, SWOT analysis, Design, and thinking techniques, and the STAR model. Therefore leaders can ensure competence by utilizing ethnography observation. Different questions that should be asked include;
- “How does work really get done around here?”
- “What works well, and why? What doesn’t?”
- “Do we know what our customers really think about us?”
- “What values are displayed most often?”
- “Do employees understand our mission and strategic priorities and connect them with their work?”
Create Thinking Space
Creating thinking space means that the organizational leaders are allowed to develop their thinking plan either daily, weekly, or monthly. This particular time is utilized in reflection, research, what should be done, and not to be done. Many leaders are reluctant to set this time aside.
Divergent and Convergent Thinking
Divergent thinking involves future imaginations, any success possibility. Through these techniques, criticism and judgment must be suspended. “Convergent thinking narrows down options to one or more preferred choices through analysis, criticism, logic, argument, and reasoning; less attractive possibilities are eliminated to choose and create a path forward.
The two styles of thinking are compelling when used sequentially, and effective ideation processes consist of both. Try not to mix these styles as doing so can stifle creativity, leaving you with only safe options. The challenge is usually to foster more divergent thinking” (CEO.com).
Article #3
Creativity and Innovation
The leaders in a business environment must be creative and innovative to ensure that they are in line with changing market trends as well as technology. Therefore, they can take risks and adopt effective changes (Wehbe, 2017).
Ability to Interpret
Leaders in a business environment must have the ability to interpret. It will ensure that they incorporate their own experience in their way of thinking (Wehbe, 2017).
Learning & Growing
Learning and growing are important because strategic thinkers are lifelong learners. It will ensure that they gain the required experience, as well. They should be ready to accept failure and celebrate success (Wehbe, 2017).
Reference
CEO.com. (2019, July 5). 5 Ways To Develop More Strategic Thinking. Retrieved from
CEO.com: https://www.ceo.com/leadership/5-ways-to-develop-more-strategic-thinking
Kabacoff, R. (2014, February 7). Develop Strategic Thinkers Throughout Your
Organization. Retrieved from Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2014/02/develop-strategic-thinkers-throughout-your-organization
Wehbe, S. (2017, June 9). 7 Key Tips to Develop Strategic Thinking in Your
Organization. Retrieved from Potential.com: https://www.potential.com/interpersonal-skills/7-key-tips-to-develop-strategic-thinking-in-your-organization/