If you want to get a clear vision for where your organization is going, then looking closely at strategy is an absolute must. A process for this is to take time out to use a 'strategic thinking' activity that will enable you to have clear space to think closely about this vital development opportunity for the long term success of your business.
For any manager to transform a business vision into a successful business venture, they need to focus on developing their expertise in analytic thinking, coordinated group work, and problem solving.
Strategic thinking itself, as a valuable tool, is a process whereby leaders critically examine and evaluate the identifiable implications of their choices in business and explore the available options before making absolute decisions.
Strategic Thinking - Need To Understand More?
Strategic thinking has its application and use in a very many differing circumstances, from devising strategies or policies for a company, arriving at or ironing out a business decision, to even simply gauging or understanding a situation.
The use of a strategic thinking methodology allows reverse engineering of the future, so that pieces are placed in position regularly, rather than ending up there with a bit of a wing and a prayer principle.
This provides the much needed and often quoted 'larger picture' and creates a feeling of direction and growth along with a sense of progress. So if any organization makes decisions without adopting a comprehensive strategic thinking procedure, it risks being hasty and uninformed in its decisions and deprives itself of the creativity and insight which strategic thinking can provide.
Strategic Thinking - Why Bother?
The key point about strategic thinking is that it provides a solid and researched framework to guide towards planned outcomes that may be some way into the distance. Some of the major organizations in the world have strategic plans or some 50 years in advance. Now, that requires some thinking ahead!
A key point about doing this work is that it will position you much better than others in your market who have taken the shorter term view.
In fact, such strategic thinking work needs a bunch of people who are able to ignore current logic and short-term measures. In the future there will most likely be significantly different scenarios that could easily change the rules of the way we think right now. The best at this factor out as many of the issues likely to lead to failure. That way there are few surprises at all.
There is only a crystal ball to help you (and we all know the value of that!). There are no certainties any more and the world seems to spin faster and faster every year. And by taking a little time out on a regular basis to think of possibilities and their effect on your world, there will be great value in it.
Strategic Thinking In Practice
Pre-emptive preparation of a plan is tricky at the best of times, especially as you need to do it with the future to consider. Tactical problem solving is much easier, as the issues you come across every day hit you between the eyes each day. This is, in itself, likely to cause you a lot of issues over the distance, without the adequate provision for needs going forward.
When you're are working for the long-term as well as the short term, it must become the way everyone works within the team or the organization as a whole if possible. When the culture of the business is always asking "Is this right for the longer-term as well as today", then you will know that the culture is getting there.
This will allow thinking and planning with an eye to the outcome and encourage approaching every interaction with a view to the desired result. It gives a long term focus and not only enables dealing with short term disappointments, it also helps to identify and make best use of leverage opportunities turning situations to maximum advantage, whilst expending the minimum effort.
Strategic Thinking, In The End It's Your Future...
Most usefully, strategic thinking can be a versatile valuable aid to versatile management and provides a 'bigger picture' that simplifies the most complex of business organizational activities processes, as well as creating the environment to encourage the sharing of possibilities for the future.
The strategic thinking process is not targeted to help categorize traditional or existing concepts, it's to help refine and arrange them in a productive method in order that fascinating ideas can come through for future value.
Anyone who is brave enough to see beyond surviving just today, there may well be a rich future ahead! - 15266
For any manager to transform a business vision into a successful business venture, they need to focus on developing their expertise in analytic thinking, coordinated group work, and problem solving.
Strategic thinking itself, as a valuable tool, is a process whereby leaders critically examine and evaluate the identifiable implications of their choices in business and explore the available options before making absolute decisions.
Strategic Thinking - Need To Understand More?
Strategic thinking has its application and use in a very many differing circumstances, from devising strategies or policies for a company, arriving at or ironing out a business decision, to even simply gauging or understanding a situation.
The use of a strategic thinking methodology allows reverse engineering of the future, so that pieces are placed in position regularly, rather than ending up there with a bit of a wing and a prayer principle.
This provides the much needed and often quoted 'larger picture' and creates a feeling of direction and growth along with a sense of progress. So if any organization makes decisions without adopting a comprehensive strategic thinking procedure, it risks being hasty and uninformed in its decisions and deprives itself of the creativity and insight which strategic thinking can provide.
Strategic Thinking - Why Bother?
The key point about strategic thinking is that it provides a solid and researched framework to guide towards planned outcomes that may be some way into the distance. Some of the major organizations in the world have strategic plans or some 50 years in advance. Now, that requires some thinking ahead!
A key point about doing this work is that it will position you much better than others in your market who have taken the shorter term view.
In fact, such strategic thinking work needs a bunch of people who are able to ignore current logic and short-term measures. In the future there will most likely be significantly different scenarios that could easily change the rules of the way we think right now. The best at this factor out as many of the issues likely to lead to failure. That way there are few surprises at all.
There is only a crystal ball to help you (and we all know the value of that!). There are no certainties any more and the world seems to spin faster and faster every year. And by taking a little time out on a regular basis to think of possibilities and their effect on your world, there will be great value in it.
Strategic Thinking In Practice
Pre-emptive preparation of a plan is tricky at the best of times, especially as you need to do it with the future to consider. Tactical problem solving is much easier, as the issues you come across every day hit you between the eyes each day. This is, in itself, likely to cause you a lot of issues over the distance, without the adequate provision for needs going forward.
When you're are working for the long-term as well as the short term, it must become the way everyone works within the team or the organization as a whole if possible. When the culture of the business is always asking "Is this right for the longer-term as well as today", then you will know that the culture is getting there.
This will allow thinking and planning with an eye to the outcome and encourage approaching every interaction with a view to the desired result. It gives a long term focus and not only enables dealing with short term disappointments, it also helps to identify and make best use of leverage opportunities turning situations to maximum advantage, whilst expending the minimum effort.
Strategic Thinking, In The End It's Your Future...
Most usefully, strategic thinking can be a versatile valuable aid to versatile management and provides a 'bigger picture' that simplifies the most complex of business organizational activities processes, as well as creating the environment to encourage the sharing of possibilities for the future.
The strategic thinking process is not targeted to help categorize traditional or existing concepts, it's to help refine and arrange them in a productive method in order that fascinating ideas can come through for future value.
Anyone who is brave enough to see beyond surviving just today, there may well be a rich future ahead! - 15266
About the Author:
(c) 2008 Martin P Haworth, a business coach and 25 year time served manager, has written Super Successful Manager!, an easy to use, week-by-week performance improvement program for managers of ANY capability. You can get a sample lesson for free at http://www.SuperSuccessfulManager.com.
