Five Elements of Thinking Strategically Intent focused
A systems perspective
Thinking in Time
Intelligent Opportunism
Hypothesis-driven
These are the five elements that make up strategic thinking as described by Dr. Jeanne M. Liedtka, a faculty member at the University of Virginia 's Darden Graduate School of Business and former chief learning officer at United Technologies Corporation.
I 've never met Dr. Liedtka, but I 'm madly in love with her elements of strategic thinking.
One of the frustrations I 've had with most of the definitions of strategic planning is that rarely is the concept "strategic" or "strategic thinking" well-defined. (I feel the same way about the use of the term "policies" which is why I 'm drawn to the framework
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A tautology is an explanation that uses the same or similar terms to explain what it means, like calling strategic planning a planning process that creates strategies.
Maybe Dr. Liedtka was also frustrated by these definitions. Her wonderful article helpfully explains what it meant to think strategically.
So what are these five essential elements of strategic thinking that she identified?
1. Intent focused
Dr. Liedtka says: "Strategic intent provides the focus that allows individuals within an organization to marshal and leverage their energy, to focus attention, to resist distraction, and to concentrate for as long as it takes to achieve a goal."
This concept implies both having an overarching goal or direction (you might call that your vision) and making that goal a conscious focus or, in this wonderful definition for intent I found online "the act of turning your mind toward" an outcome or object.
In my approach to our sector, this intent is the change that we want to see in the world. A change that we are completely passionate about, that channels our every action for the future.
2. A systems perspective
Think
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Read a lot. Explore new things. Talk to people outside your organization and outside your discipline as well as the people who know your system the best.
3. Thinking in Time
Dr. Liedtka suggests strategic thinkers ask this question:
"Having seen the future that we want to create, what must we keep from our past, lose from that past and create in the present to get there?"
When you think strategically, you are always connecting the past to the present to the future. You learn from the past and use that learning to make predictions. You look at the present to assess the gap between where you are now and where you want to end up.
While your focus is always on the future, you can only act in the present.
This concept always makes me think of H.G. Wells The Time Machine.
4. Intelligent Opportunism
Remember the old exercise the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.)
Well, SWOT thinking never ends for strategic thinkers. Strategic thinkers are able to spot and react to great new opportunities as they arise. They understand that the world is dynamic and they are open to change to reach their
How do the issues facing those doing strategic planning differ from those doing tactical planning? Can the two really be
For today’s managers, there is a need to learn and to understand the complex nature of complex problems, but not from the simple version, we know and learned from an early age. J. Atwater and Paul Pittman (2006) clarify that as children we learn in a simple linear view. For example, if someone cries, there will be someone there to comfort. A simple action and result, but in reality it is more dynamically complex, not simply a cause-and-effect, or cause and reaction. According to Jay Forrester (1995) , it is hard for a company and senior leadership to evaluate behavior in a complex environment without tools and technology. People do not naturally think systemically or strategically, therefore, managers must be trained in systemic thinking tools and concepts to learn strategic thinking (Forrester, 1995). From the perspective of the structure of an organization, it is important in how the organization structure influences behavior and decision making by placing constraints on what the company has historically known from its experiences, which influence decision-making process within the business. According to excerpt articles from Bob De Wit and Ron Meyer, strategic thinking is not simply framed in the manner in which we have learned in our prior class. In the prior class, we framed our understanding according to Hamel and Prahalad (1996), the rational reasoning approach. To expand on strategic thinking, creative approach must be added to gain additional understanding of De Wit and Meyer’s intent, in addition to a rational systems thinking approach.
these goals is to not just focus in one direction but open your mind to focus in
In 2012, LTG (RET) Paul Van Riper wrote an article called, “The Foundation of Strategic Thinking” in the Infinity Journal with a purpose of educating national leaders and defense officials on the need to understand how nonlinear systems work if they are to effectively implement military strategy. Van Riper explores the possibility of why system theory connects Clausewitz’s paradoxical trinity, operational art and operational design, making these subjects the foundation of strategic thinking. Van Riper’s article is not persuasive as he neglects to provide readers a viable argument and counterargument to prove the benefits of incorporating operational art and design into strategic planning, educate readers on the potential risks associated with
Copeland says; “I do not know the exact definition of it. However, the strategic thinking means that we are aware of requires for a job position, and the acting is working on plans for the success of an organization. It is like always thinking of new ideas and creating new programs”. Dr. Copeland provided the simple example of strategic thinking, acting, and influencing. “When we started working on a new radiology branch at Granger location.
to achieve or accomplish in the mid or long-term future. Vision is putting what you hope to
Strategic planning is defined as "an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resour...
The starting point of the strategic management is said to be the DESIGN SCHOOL with an emphasis on process. However this system is entirely based on the SWOT analysis. Swot stands for strength, weakness, Opportunities and Threats. Strength is a show...
• Strategic management is fluid and complex. Change creates original combinations of conditions requiring shapeless non-repetitive responses.
Many theorists (Lynch, 2003, Mintzberg, 1990, Ansoff, 1991) will argue that the two main schools of strategic planning are the prescriptive, also known as intended, and emergent approaches. Both are debated widely about which is the better approach; recognised best by Idenburg (1993). Prescriptive strategies focus on planning; where predictions of the future are made, leading to long term decisions where the main elements of the strategy have been specially planned before being commenced and as stated by Mintzberg, 1990 "Strategy formation should be a controlled, conscious process of thought". The emergent approach relies on the fact that the outcome of the objective is not known; in contradiction to the prescriptive approach it is not a 'controlled, conscious process of thought' and has been described by Downs, et al (2003) as a trial and error process. The importance of strategy within organisations has been discussed as early as the 1950's with ...
meanings as the most important long-range planning, the most complex. and profound decisions, and the most advantageous effects from a. bombing campaign as well as leaders with the highest conceptual ability to make decisions and make decisions. As mentioned earlier, strategy is a plan whose aim is to link ends.... ... middle of paper ... ...
If asked what strategic planning is one could interpret it as simply a road map that can guide the organization in the right direction. It is very unlikely that an organization would know which direction to take without a sense of direction. Managers are faced every day with decisions that have a major impact on the direction the organization must take, therefore, strategic planning can play an important role in guiding managers in the right direction. In other words strategic planning is a tool that management can use to give them a sense of direction that will guide them in doing a better job and to ensure that all the members of the organization are working toward the same goals
Strategic planning is an organizational process in which it looks towards developing and sustaining success or balance in its ever changing environment.
Strategic Planning is looking at where you are now, knowing where you want to be in the future and planning the steps to get you there.
Oppenheim (2006) defines Strategic Planning as the methodical process by which an organization anticipates and plans for its future by undertaking an examination of the organization and its environment by those who have a stake in its future success.