THINKING AND LEADING STRATEGICALLY2010

Thinking and Leading Strategically2010

Thinking and Leading Strategically

Introduction

The ability to think strategically is an admired and a sought-after leadership requirement, yet we know little about how it develops. The purpose of this study is to identify specific experiences that contribute to the development of an individual's ability to think strategically. (Pine, J. and Gilmore, 2007, 54-67)

We identified eight work experiences, including different types of organizational projects, processes, and relationships, that contribute to an individual's strategic thinking ability. We also delineate specific characteristics material to each experience. These characteristics indicate that considerable time and focus are required to develop the ability to think strategically. In addition, the experiences are not all accessed equally: Women are less likely to have nonrelational experiences, while chief executive officers are more likely to have the most challenging ones. In addition, we found differences regarding work-related continuing education activities. Respondents rated nonhealthcare conferences and reading behind all other identified experiences that contribute to strategic thinking ability. Individuals can implement several strategies to improve their strategic thinking ability, including deliberately incorporating the requisite experiences into their development plans, ensuring that the experiences incorporate the required characteristics, and improving the benefit received from attending educational programs in nonhealthcare industries. Organizations can implement several strategies to ensure the experiences are as effective as possible, such as appraising gender differences across the experiences and reviewing the organization's strategic planning processes for the characteristics that best encourage strategic thinking. The ability to think strategically is widely recognized as a key leadership requirement (Sashkin and Sashkin 2003; Van Velsor and McCauley 2004). The Healthcare Leadership Alliance Competency Directory lists thinking strategically as a skill area. It also defines leadership--one of five competency domains--to include the following related to strategic thinking: "to create and attain a shared vision and to successfully manage change to attain the organization's strategic ends and successful performance" (Stefl 2008, 364). While vision and results may be outputs of strategic thinking, the ability to think strategically involves much more. (Pine, J. and Gilmore, 2007, 54-67)

Explanation

Strategic thinking is a process in which you develop a vision for your business and then work backwards to develop a plan to accomplish that vision. Without vision, a business will have no direction, but it's impossible to achieve a vision without a strategy. Strategic thinking involves developing skills in creativity, problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking and flexibility. Strategic thinkers are able to see the big picture, as well as how to attain it. (Pine, J. and Gilmore, 2007, 54-67)

Learn to Think Strategically

1. Step 1

Examine the status quo. Strategic thinking skills require you to examine how things have always been done critically in order to determine if that is the way things should be done. Strategic thinkers are willing to look outside of the norm to find more efficient and creative ways of doing things.

2. Step 2

Look at the forest, not the trees. Strategic thinkers are not mired down by the details of managing day-to-day ...