How to Cultivate Strategic Thinking Skills
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Strategic thinking, in its simplest form, is the ability to plan for the future.
Someone who thinks strategically is open-minded and capable of questioning and evaluating information. Critical thinking promotes knowledge and challenges commonly held beliefs, paving the way for innovation.
People with strong strategic thinking skills are in high demand in all industries, and it is a trait that has helped many managers, directors, and executives become effective leaders.
4 Key Qualities of Strategic Thinkers
1. They are always Learning: Committing to continuous learning and self-improvement helps to develop strategic thinking skills. Strategic thinkers do not ignore any potential source of education, whether it be learning from their own experiences, the experiences of others, industry articles, conferences, networks, or colleagues.
2. They welcome advice from others: Strategic thinkers seek feedback and guidance from others to enable them to plan ahead and develop their skills and knowledge. They put ideas and concepts to the test and ensure that alternative advice is evaluated and adopted where appropriate. This process strengthens and solidifies their plans and strategies.
3. They are willing to adapt: Rigidity isn’t an effective long-term strategy for professional development. Strategic thinkers understand that the longer they stick to old ways of doing things, the more stuck they’ll become. They are willing to modify their approach and try new things. They are adaptable, adjusting how they handle projects before, during, and after they’re completed.
4. They understand delayed gratification: One of a strategic thinker’s most important traits is their work ethic. Strategic thinkers are willing to put in a little extra work on Friday afternoon to prepare for the following work week. They aren’t interested in instant gratification. They play the long game preferring to achieve major goals through careful planning, vigilance, and continued work allowing them to make much better tactical and operational decisions.
How to Improve Your Strategic Thinking Skills
Here are 5 techniques for strengthening your strategic thinking process:
1. Be aware of personal biases: becoming self-aware enough to examine and challenge your own thoughts is a crucial aspect of becoming a rational critical thinker. What exactly does it mean to think strategically? Recognising that your views or ideas may be flawed does not diminish your credibility; on the contrary, it increases it. Strategic thinkers are willing to verify facts and think outside the box in order to generate new ideas.
Ask yourself:
- What are my current circumstances?
- Is my perspective realistic?
- What other details did I overlook that I shouldn't have?
- What does my viewpoint imply?
2. Make time for progress: One of the biggest obstacles to progress for any organisation is becoming so swamped with mundane tasks that your ability to focus on strategic direction is derailed. Taking care of daily duties is important, but you also need to make time to think about the future if you want to make progress.
- Recognise that it is time well spent. You are investing in the organisation's long-term success.
- Prioritise tasks and decide which can be placed on hold for the time being.
- Identify any concerns that are preventing you from moving forward.
3. Develop your questioning skills: To think critically, you must question everything. Not in a cynical sense, but in a productive way that allows you to see ideas objectively. Just because a way of thinking or an idea is widely accepted as the standard does not mean it should not be challenged. Taking the time to question something allows for growth.
Here are some examples of strategic thinking questions to ask in the process of critical evaluation:
- Is the concept logical?
- Is the source trustworthy? Was the information provided by a trusted authority, or was it speculation?
- What are the assumptions and biases with each option?
- Identify any evidence that exists to support the theory.
4. improve your listening skills: A critical thinker accepts that their ideas may be flawed and therefore listens to others intently to learn more from others’ perspectives. Every team member is valuable and should be heard. Developing keen listening skills will encourage others to voice their opinions and foster an atmosphere where everyone contributes strategically as a cohesive unit. These tips will help you make the most out of listening opportunities.
- Have an open mind free of prejudices.
- Be receptive to feedback from others.
- Listen attentively with a desire to learn a new perspective.
- Evaluate what was heard and identify the most valuable point(s) learned.
5. Understand that all actions have consequences: Every decision has consequences. Question all sources and viewpoints and consider the repercussions of each option before making a decision. With practice, it will become easier to identify the effects of different scenarios.
Ask these questions to gauge what outcome will align best with the vision of your organisation:
- What are the pros and cons of each option?
- What does each imply?
- Which will help meet our goals best?
- Is there an option that will open long-term opportunities?
Summary
The ability to overcome one’s own ego to open-mindedly seek fresh perspectives and find the most credible solution leads to increased creativity, progress, and innovation. When those in leadership positions are experienced critical thinkers, meetings become more productive, and business goals are met faster. Fostering an environment where all perspectives are valued, and encouraging all employees to think critically will pave the way for future success.
Learning critical, strategic thinking skills is valuable for anyone. Everyone has the potential to influence future progress.
How can we help?
Are you searching for a new opportunity in the construction industry or a hiring manager in need of construction talent? Get in touch today at getus@jamesgrayrecruitment.com