This is part four of a six-part series where I aim to break down what strategic thinking actually involves, to make it less abstract for those looking to transition into strategic leadership / executive roles.
With greater authority comes greater responsibility. More is at stake.
Poorly thought-out decisions at the executive level impact more people and the effects can linger for a long time, especially in terms of reputational damage to the organisation and its leaders.
Effective executives don’t just dive into things.
They create reference points that guide future decisions and help build strategic alignment across the organisation.
They try to understand what success should look like before proceeding.
This involves defining the desired outcome and the goals that need to be achieved to get there.
The vision and goals are developed with regard to the organisation’s purpose or the true reason why it was established.
This way, the strategies and actions supporting the goals stay within scope and the correct set of stakeholders and needs are targeted, as opposed to everyone and anything.
And the purpose-driven strategies help executives to reduce wasting the time and money of all of those involved.
I hope this is helpful.