Did you know that thinking strategically is a skill? A rather important skill at that. Whilst some are lucky enough to have an innate ability to think this way, the good news is that this is a skill that can also be developed if it doesn’t come to you naturally.
While it’s easy to think that strategy is only the job of the CEO or business owner, the simple truth is – everybody in an organisation can and should be thinking strategically all the time.
Here are a few ways to sharpen your strategic thinking skills:
🔍 Be conscious of bias: we all have biases and we can take charge by examining and questioning them.
🔍 Become a better listener: this helps you to gain new perspectives and new ways of thinking. Be open to feedback, keep an open mind and weigh everything you hear.
🔍 Question everything: it is critical to ask questions about all that you see or are told. Collect and weigh facts, check for rationality, credibility and proof to support ideas.
🔍 Consider the consequences: every decision has consequences. Weigh the pros and cons and the potential impact of an idea before making the decision on whether or not it should be implemented.
Practising these steps over and over again will help you to make informed and better decisions and in the long run, thinking strategically will come naturally to you.