55 - How to Become a More Strategic Thinker

Strategy, Leadership and Impact

Strategic thinking is a learned discipline, not just a trait some are born with. To get better at it, leaders need to intentionally sharpen their mindset, skills, and habits. Here's a practical breakdown of how to do that:

1. Shift from Operator to ArchitectOperational work focuses on the day-to-day, while strategic thinking focuses on shaping the future. You need to deliberately shift how you allocate time and mental energy.

• Tip: Use the 70-20-10 rule—spend 70% on strategic priorities, 20% on enabling others, and 10% on firefighting.

• Practice: Audit your calendar monthly. Are you spending time on what's important, or just what’s urgent?

2. Practice Systems ThinkingStrategic thinkers look beyond symptoms and see the systems at play.

• Action: Map out cause-effect relationships when analysing challenges (e.g. using causal loop diagrams or fishbone diagrams).

• Question to ask: What patterns or structures are influencing these outcomes?

3. Read Broadly and Cross-FunctionallyLeaders who think strategically draw insights from multiple disciplines—economics, psychology, technology, sustainability, etc.

• Tip: Read one book or listen to one podcast a month that is outside your domain.

• Challenge: Attend events or forums in industries different from your own.

4. Build Time for Strategic ThinkingYou can't think strategically in 5-minute gaps between meetings. Strategic thinking requires space for deep, uninterrupted thought.

• Tip: Block “strategic thinking time” each week—treat it as a non-negotiable.

• Tool: Use reflection questions like:

  • What are the three biggest external forces that could disrupt us?

  • If we had to start this company again today, what would we do differently?

5. Develop Strategic CuriosityCultivate the habit of questioning assumptions and exploring alternatives.

• Practice: When someone proposes a solution, ask: What else could work? What would the opposite approach look like?

• Tool: Use Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats technique to consider issues from multiple angles.

6. Engage with Diverse ThinkersStrategic insight often comes from conversation, not isolation.

• Action: Surround yourself with people who challenge your thinking—mentors, peers, advisors, even skeptics.

• Tip: Create a personal “strategic advisory board” (formal or informal) to test your ideas.

7. Use Strategic Frameworks OftenFamiliarity with proven tools helps you think more clearly and consistently.

• Examples:

  • Porter’s Five Forces – industry competition

  • Blue Ocean Strategy – innovation and differentiation

  • Balanced Scorecard – aligning strategy to performance

  • Scenario Planning – exploring future possibilities

8. Reflect on Strategic DecisionsLearn from the past to improve future choices.

• Action: After major decisions, conduct a strategic review. What worked? What didn’t? What blind spots emerged?

• Tool: Use pre-mortems and post-mortems for key initiatives.

Getting better at strategic thinking is a journey—it’s not about having the perfect answer, but consistently applying the discipline to see farther, think deeper, and lead with intent.