Practical Strategic Thinking: Connecting The Dots

Strategic thinking is a mindset

 
 
9.5.21 Update: Using Strategic Thinking To Prepare for the Next Crisis
 
 
Strategic thinking is the process of making sense of the available information, visualizing different scenarios to determine a preferred future.
 
About two weeks ago, I facilitated the first installment of the 3 part strategic workshop series- strategic thinking for HR professionals.
 

 
 
Sessions like this are highly cerebral and can be too academic. The likelihood that participants will get bored and fail to get any takeaways is high. So in our case study, I applied the infographic created by gaping void in DTI’s  ‘bakuna bubble’ to make the discussion practical and relatable.
 

 
 

Making sense of data

 
There are vast data around us, if factored in properly, it can lead to a better future. So the first step is to access available data and to put some sense on it.
 
With the chosen case study, pax realized how employee vaccination records, vaccination programs of different LGUs, and the economic struggle of MSMEs are valuable in mapping a landscape.
 
 

Connect the dots

 
Visualizing different scenarios is the 2nd step.
 
In the case study,  participants saw how the DTI proposal can easily hurt or benefit the organization. A lower vaccination rate can mean more hassles, but a higher vax is favorable. But the more complex problem is left out for the companies to resolve.
 
 

Identify the desired future

 
The final step is recognizing point A  (where you are in the present landscape) and determining point B (desired place).
 
At this point,  pax already knew the end game for their company given the information at hand. But the same information also suggests a different outcome if appropriate intervention is done. This is possible because the strategic thinking exercise creates a pictorial representation of alternate possibilities.
 
 

Strategic thinking is insight

 
Going back to gaping void’s infographic, the 4th image (insight) is the best representation of strategic thinking. The last 2 images though represent the next 2 phases of my strategic series.
 
Wisdom or the application of insight (5th image) is strategic planning. Creating action steps from point A (present) to point B (desired future).
 
And impact (6th image) represents strategic leadership. That is measuring the ability of a leader to identify the alternate future, providing action steps from point A to point B, getting the buy-in of the direct reports, and successfully bringing the organization to the desired future.
 
With this in mind, we are inviting you to the 2nd installment of our strategic series- Strategic Planning. You can go to the information page to get the deets and/or enroll.
 

 
 

Have you attended this session? Feel free to share your learnings in the comment section below.