Strategic Thinking is the kind of thinking that creates insights that are crucial to pivoting quickly in rapid moving times. I think that just might be about now. 

This is the type of thinking that looks at alternative perspectives, challenges assumptions and is aimed at creating new possibilities. It’s not hard to do a little strategic thinking – but it’s a team sport and best done with a partner.

Whether you are seeking a career move or responding to changes in your business that need a rethink, strategic thinking will energize a new perspective. 

When things start to change even a little bit it’s the perfect time to reflect on all aspects of your life or business and check all the moving parts. Your aim is to think about how you might re-sequence things to create a better future.

Strategic Planning is a bit different from Strategic Thinking. 

The later informs your planning and represents the “why” and “what” directly relating to the value and purpose. Strategic Planning is the “how”, how you will implement and take action. 

Too often we dive right into the how (seeking things that we can do to overcome our challenges). Naturally, we seek solutions to our key challenges. However, the approach with strategic thinking is different. It focuses on looking at things differently – a new perspective.  

It focuses on the ‘what if’ and the ‘how might we’. It is much like the design-thinking approach which tackles the bigger questions which often lead to key insights.

It’s a simple process and its purpose is to redesign a better future. 

Take a step back from the focusing of your challenges and think like a designer – start right at the heart of the matter – the why. What is our overarching goal, what are we really trying to create here…..

If you think like a designer you will start to question every part of your life, career and business. You may come up with some valuable insights that are those things that are intuitive – they feel right – they are game changers.

Insights are those ideas, concepts and collaborations, that close the gap between what you seek and how you will get there. Here are a few suggestions on how you can spark insightful thinking.

Once you have some insight take those ideas for a walk, test them out, do some prototyping. Thinking strategically can be one of the most helpful practices in times of change and uncertainty.