In many ways, Strategic Thinking is similar to painting a picture. It takes strategy, effort and vision to put the right brush strokes on the canvass to create the picture you have in mind for your organization. And it is this finished picture that drives the direction, nature, and composition of the business. As a result, decisions that fall within the parameters of this view are taken and implemented, and decisions that do not are rejected.

Strategic Thinking is also hypothesis-driven. Companies with a strategic mindset often ask, “What if…?” They are unafraid to challenge existing assumptions and actions. This, of course, can potentially lead to new and more appropriate courses of action. Organizations with leaders who think strategically are well on their way to a bright and successful future.

Strategic Planning, on the other hand, is a programmatic process carried out within the confines of what is to be achieved. It doesn’t question those parameters, but rather works within them, breaking down goals into steps and designing how those steps may be implemented.

In many ways, Strategic Thinking and Strategic Planning are two sides of the same coin. Each by itself is not enough to form a solid strategic management framework. Working hand-in-hand, however, they reap the maximum benefit. While Strategic Thinking can be described as the type of thinking that attempts to determine what an organization should look like in the future, Strategic Planning helps it get there. A good plan is the natural outgrowth of solid thinking.

Some of the benefits of Strategic Thinking include:

• Insight into where your business can grow. This begins by understanding where your business profit center lies. If you make your money from developing a certain type of “widget,” you need to know everything about that widget. Equally important, you can determine the areas of your company where you aren’t growing. As the old saying goes, “If you don’t know it’s broken, you can’t fix it.”

• The opportunity to sharpen your advertising to give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace. In order to make a push in this area, be sure you review the data and become familiar with the analytical side of your company. Which segment is truly performing best? It all boils down to good measurement tools so you can maximize returns on marketing ROI.

• Wisdom and foresight to see looming threats and react proactively. Just as every homeowner needs homeowner’s insurance, every business needs the assurance of contingency plans. For example, what is the optimum liquidity for a manufacturer? What plans would a cruise line have in place in case of a terrorist attack? How should an airline react to the threat of hijackings? Businesses that think progressively and have preplanned courses of action are more sure-footed when it comes to regaining normal business operations. In short, they are better prepared to protect shareholder wealth.
  

Investigate workshops that help you find the balance between today’s expectations and tomorrow’s opportunities. Many of these come in the form of executive leadership training or vision casting workshops. Popular workshop providers include the American Management Association, the American Marketing Association and countless business think tanks.

Networking through business forums can be another sure-fire way to learn how to think strategically. Many forums are conducted by civic or community organizations including the chamber of commerce, local Rotary Club or nearby universities. Take advantage of the free advice.

Finally, conduct your own SWOT review. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats:

S – What are your company’s internal strengths? Are your distribution operations second to none? Focus on the internal aspects that make the company strong.
W – Look at your internal weaknesses. Do you lack a credible sales force? Is the R&D department short on innovative young thinkers?
O – Opportunities are external. Is your type of product riding a wave of new-found popularity? Is your industry being de-regulated, allowing for unprecedented growth? What other external market factors are setting the stage for a good harvest?
T – Threats, too, are external. Will foreign competition price you out of the marketplace? Will new government regulations make it more difficult to introduce your products to market?

Know your SWOT and be prepared to defend it.

Many times, a company’s day-to-day operational issues can threaten to sap the energy and enthusiasm generated during any type of planning process. As a result, great ideas and extraordinary vision can be lost. That’s why it’s important to make implementing your strategy a priority. The best way to do this is to engage everyone in the organization. You want every employee on board. This entails:

• Clearly communicating the strategic intent and the plan you have chosen to carry it out.
  
• Setting individual work plans and targets that are aligned with the strategic plan.
  
• Assessing progress on a continual basis and providing feedback about performance.
  

• What is the intent behind the strategy?
  
• What are the themes and action plans that need to be communicated with the company?
  
• How will we lead and resource the projects and action plans?
  
• What is the review process?
  

Finally, consistently measure your progress. Break the implementation process into succinct, measurable pieces with specific target dates. Don’t look too far ahead into the future, but celebrate the milestones and achievements you have made thus far. Of course, you can always adjust your plan as necessary and as events unfold in the change process.

To do this, look for progress on meeting target dates. Are you on schedule? Are any adjustments necessary? Have you been too ambitious or not ambitious enough in regards to the timeframe of the implementation process?

In regards to your employees, look for signs that they have taken the process to heart. How closely do they associate their own roles with your organizational purpose? Is it clear that they have truly grasped the corporate message you have endeavored to send them? Can they tell you exactly what your corporate aims are? Every employee must know what they are doing and why. Commitment is essential at all levels of the organization. If this is happening, then your action plan is probably working.

Finally, look for opportunities to review the entire strategic development process. Ask yourself and your employees, “What is going well?” What isn’t?” “What changes might you suggest for next time around?” The feedback you receive will assist you and your organization greatly.

If extra time won’t solve the problem, consider your procedure. Do you need to go about implementing your strategy in a different way? Also consider the people you have at work. Are they the right people in the right places? Would it be better to seek expertise from outside the company? Don’t be afraid to adjust your tactics to help the process run more smoothly.

Lastly, if none of the above methods help rectify the situation, consider changing your strategy altogether. While this is never easy, it may be necessary. It might not be that you adopted a “wrong” strategy to begin with as much as it is that your organizational environment has changed – either internally or externally. Take a good hard look at your strategy and implement sound managerial judgment to determine whether or not it stays.

Here’s something to keep in mind as you consider the best course of action to take. If you feel you have been doing the right thing in the wrong way, then it is time to simply change your tactics. But if you feel you’ve been doing the wrong thing altogether, then consider changing your strategy. It’s better to make the distinction now rather than later.

The concept of "Key-Coach" was developed due to public demand for developmental therapies in personal as well as business areas.

Key-Coach comprises of 64 beautifully design cards with stunning photography and includes a full instruction manual. The system apparently allows users to "align the unconscious with the conscious mind through the use of powerful imagery and metaphors." The system has received good feedback.

It may be that I don't know much about "Executive Coaching," but this seriously sounds like a pretentious pile of hokum. How is a flashcard going to help you feel more confident? And what exactly is the context for using one? Should I whip it out the next time my boss tells me I'm a bum with the personality of a roof shingle? If I line some Limey's pockets in the slim auspices that a pleasant seascape and condescending jargon are going to make me feel manly, I probably deserve to be downtrodden.

Bradley is a certified senior human resources executive with more than 20 years of progressive human resources, sales/marketing and leadership experience. Prior to joining Kelleher Associates, Bradley was Senior Vice President for Manchester, Inc., the human resource-consulting subsidiary of MPS Group. As a key member of the Executive Management Team, she developed and executed a divisional strategy to position Manchester as a leader in Human Capital Management. Her broad business background provides a strategic and practical perspective in coaching executives as they strive for maximum personal and team performance.

Kelleher Associates offers consistent, individualized attention and customized programs delivery professionally and empathetically by broadly experienced and skilled consultants.

What is Executive Development?

Why is Executive Development important?

How do I go about developing my future leaders?

What qualifications are needed for a good successor?

What is Strategic Implementation?

What are the steps for effective Strategic Implementation?

How can I assess my Strategic Implementation efforts?

What if the Strategic Implementation process is not going as planned?

What is Management Development?

Why is Management Development important?

How do I go about developing my future managers?

What are the defining characteristics of a good potential manager?

What is decision making?

What strategies should I use to analyze and make decisions?

What should I do in preparation for making a decision?

What should I do after I make the decision?

What is Executive Coaching?

What are the different models of Executive Coaching?

What are the benefits of Executive Coaching?

Do you need an Executive Coach?

What if I do need an Executive Coach?