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Strategic Thinking What Does It Really Mean

Written by: Glenn Ebersole

Article Overview: Recently I was working with a client’s management team and we were having a discussion about thinking. And as the discussion ensued I thought to myself that we think a lot, but we very seldom think about how we think. As a strategic thinking and business coach I do think quite a lot about how we think and especially how people in business think or shall I say how they “don’t think!” In today’s economy with the global competitive pressures faced by business each day, it seems to me that there needs to be a great deal more emphasis on strategic thinking. And in my view, strategic thinking should no longer be limited to or encouraged of those in planning. I believe that strategic thinking is now necessary for everyone.

Strategic Thinking What Does It Really Mean

“Strategic Thinking – What Does It Really Mean?”
By: J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Chief Executive of J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group™

Recently I was working with a client’s management team and we were having a discussion about thinking. And as the discussion ensued I thought to myself that we think a lot, but we very seldom think about how we think. As a strategic thinking and business coach I do think quite a lot about how we think and especially how people in business think or shall I say how they “don’t think!”

In today’s economy with the global competitive pressures faced by business each day, it seems to me that there needs to be a great deal more emphasis on strategic thinking. And in my view, strategic thinking should no longer be limited to or encouraged of those in planning. I believe that strategic thinking is now necessary for everyone.

Strategic thinking really implies planning and maneuvering to a goal or a set of goals over a defined period of time and to some ultimate vision. Strategic thinking does have an “end” or “vision” in view today. I believe that strategic thinking also implies that one is out-thinking, out-planning and out-maneuvering competitors and/or other forces to achieve the goal or vision.

Strategic thinking is thinking that incorporates principles and functions of the strategic planning process. This is especially exemplified when one considers the identification of strategic issues, formulation of a vision for the future and a strategy to achieve the vision.

One of the most beneficial features of strategic thinking is that it can be done anywhere, anytime and under any conditions. It could involve one or many strategic principles and it will contribute to strategic solutions. One could say you can do strategic thinking without a complete strategic planning process, but you cannot do strategic planning without strategic thinking.

Based on my own experience, here are 7 major things that I believe strategic thinking involves:

1. a systems or holistic view
2. a focus on intent – a vision, a mission, a set of core values, goals
3. an understanding of how people go about finding solutions is often more important that the actual solutions they find
4. an understanding of the difference between tactical and strategic approaches
5. thinking in time to link the past, the present and the future
6. identifying strategic issues from a wide spectrum of issues put forth for review and discussion
7. having participants that are active, alert, committed, connected, involved and stimulated

Would you like to find a way to add value to yourself and your organization? Are you serious about your future and learning how to address opportunities, challenges and problems? If yes, you have come to the right place. If you want to acquire strategic thinking skills and learn the art of forward thinking, then please contact Glenn Ebersole at jgecoach@aol.com today!

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