Strategic Thinking Abilities

Here’s why sharing strategic thinking “frameworks” without context is useless (and what actually works). I see posts like this infographic daily on social media—pretty boxes, buzzwords… and zero actionable insight. The brutal truth? Posting frameworks without explanation is career virtue signaling at its worst. Strategic Thinking Is actually critical right now: ✅ 57% of business leaders say strategic thinking is the #1 soft skill their workforce desperately needs (Springboard 2024) ✅ The World Economic Forum 2025 Future of Jobs Report confirms analytical thinking remains the TOP core skill demanded by 7 out of 10 companies globally. While everyone’s obsessing over AI and technical skills, the most successful professionals are the ones who can think strategically about those tools. Here are 5 ways I coach my clients to actually develop their strategic thinking which you can adopt right now: 1. Master the “So What?” Question After every data point, analysis, or meeting, → Ask, “So what does this mean for our goals?” Force yourself to connect dots, not just collect them. 2. Practice Scenario Planning Weekly Pick one business decision facing your team. Map out 3 potential outcomes and their implications. This builds your strategic foresight muscle. 3. Reverse-Engineer Successful Strategies Study companies that solved problems similar to yours. What assumptions did they challenge? What patterns can you extract? 4. Create a “Strategic Time Block” Block 2 hours weekly for big-picture thinking. No emails, no tactical work. Just strategic reflection and planning. Non-negotiable. 5. Teach Your Thinking Process Explain your strategic reasoning to others. If you can’t teach it clearly, you haven’t thought it through deeply enough. Strategic thinking isn’t about memorizing frameworks from infographics on Pinterest. It’s about developing the mental discipline to see patterns, challenge assumptions, and connect seemingly unrelated pieces. The professionals who master this will be irreplaceable. The ones who share pretty frameworks will be forgotten. Which one are you? Coaching can help; let's chat. | Joshua Miller #executivecoaching #professionaldevelopment #careeradvice #getahead

One of my coaching clients, let’s call her Nora, was disappointed to know that she was not considered for the next-level role. Nora is creative, original, can synthesize data, and uncover patterns. She was happy with the work she had done in the past year. She thought her boss was also happy with her performance. However, it turned out that while her boss considers her performance good, he believes that to move up in her career, Nora needs to be more strategic. Nora did not know what that meant. In her mind, she had done well in every project assigned to her. Her research told her that being strategic is – ✅The ability to take a holistic view of the organization’s ecosystem and stakeholders. ✅Anticipating shifts in the market space and identify emerging opportunities. ✅When necessary, work within resource limitations and make creative or tough calls to reach goals. ✅Inspiring people to work towards a vision of what is possible. ✅Taking informed and calculated risks to achieve ambitious targets. Here is Nora’s plan to become a more strategic thinker – 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. She likes her job and enjoys being hands-on, but this leads to a super busy schedule and constant hopping from one task to another. She realizes she must step away from execution, delegate more, take control of her calendar, and jealously guard how she manages her attention. 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞. Being responsive makes her a good girl, but there are no trophies for keeping her mailbox clean. Defining what truly matters and pursuing it relentlessly enhances her impact. It also creates opportunities for her team to scale up. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. Nora’s strengths help her craft solutions, but not to sell them. She intends to gather the perspectives of her stakeholders and determine how they view the same problem, how it challenges them, and what a good solution looks like from their lens. 𝐁𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬. Nora will lean towards progress rather than perfection, ask questions, and speak her mind unhesitatingly. She will catch herself when she is stuck in analysis paralysis, and take action, knowing that she will never feel 100% ready, and that she can choose her mindset. With this plan in place, Nora has her work cut out for the next few months. What steps do you need to take to be more strategic?

Most CEOs make million-dollar decisions the same way they pick lunch. Quick. Gut-based. Rushed. And that’s exactly why 70% of strategic initiatives fail. After working with hundreds of leadership teams, I’ve noticed a pattern: The average founder thinks like a firefighter. 🔥 Problem? → React. → Solve fast. → Repeat the same issue in 3 months. But the best CEOs? They think like detectives. They slow down. Look deeper. And solve the problem under the problem. I learned this the hard way. Sales were tanking. My instinct? Hire more salespeople. Seemed obvious. More reps = more deals… right? Wrong. When I finally stopped reacting and started investigating, I saw it: We didn’t have a headcount issue. We had a clarity issue. Our pricing was confusing. Great leads were ghosting us post-demo. The fix? A simple pricing calculator. Cost: $500 and one afternoon. Result: 40% increase in close rate. The hiring spree I almost greenlit? Would’ve burned cash and made things worse. Here’s how strategic thinkers work differently: 🔸 1. They ask before they answer. What’s actually broken? What’s the hidden cause? 🔸 2. They zoom out before zooming in. How does this fit into the bigger picture? Will this create more issues downstream? 🔸 3. They explore before they act. What else could we try? Have we looked beyond the obvious? 🔸 4. They test before they scale. Can we run a small experiment first? What’s the fastest way to learn? 🔸 5. They align before they advance. Is the team clear on the goal? Are we solving the same problem? Here’s the irony: This slower, more thoughtful process? It’s actually faster. Because you solve the right problem, once. Not the wrong one, over and over. Strategic thinking isn’t about being clever. It’s about building a better decision-making system. One that prevents million-dollar mistakes… And turns tough challenges into smart moves. What’s one expensive mistake that better thinking could’ve avoided? Comment ⬇️ your lesson might help someone else. ——— ♻️ REPOST if this resonated with you! ➡️ FOLLOW Rheanne Razo for more B2B growth strategies, client success, and real-world business insights.

After 3 panel interviews, she was exhausted – and confused. The feedback? 👉 “You didn’t show strategic thinking.” But here’s the thing: - She did talk about her achievements. - She did outline her results. - She did lead teams and manage budgets. So what was missing? Let’s break it down: 🎯 Strategic thinking isn’t just about what you did. It’s about how you see the big picture-and how you influence it. Here’s what senior interviewers are actually listening for: 🧠 1. Can you connect the dots between actions and business impact? ❌ “We improved process efficiency by 15%.” ✅ “That 15% increase shaved $1.2M off operational costs-freeing up budget for product innovation.” 💡 2. Do you think beyond your function or team? ❌ “I led the sales team to exceed quota.” ✅ “We partnered with Product and RevOps to align messaging-this cross-functional approach helped us surpass ARR targets by 18%.” 🔍 3. Are you proactive about solving future problems? ❌ “We reacted quickly to client churn.” ✅ “We launched a client risk model using churn indicators-cut attrition by 30% in two quarters.” Strategic thinking = → Systems-level awareness → Cross-functional alignment → Clear business outcomes → Forward-looking insight And most importantly? You need to say it out loud. No one can read your mind in an interview. 📣 Senior interviews aren’t about repeating your resume. They’re about showing you can lead with vision. ✅ Follow me for daily tips on interviewing, personal branding, and landing your next senior role with confidence.

"You (or your thinking) aren't strategic enough." Here are 7 actionable steps to help you address this TODAY: (Prioritize #6 - others can't read your mind) 1. Seek Specific Examples ↳How: Approach the feedback with curiosity rather than defensiveness. Ask your manager or key stakeholders for specific instances where you could have been more strategic. Frame these conversations around seeking advice rather than just feedback. Mentors can also help here. ↳Why: Helps you focus your efforts on the appropriate next step(s). 2. Understand the Business Strategy ↳How: Dive deep into your company's strategy. This can be done through reviewing formal strategy documents, participating actively in strategy meetings, or having one-on-one discussions with key leaders. ↳Why: A deep understanding of the overall strategy will provide context for your actions and decisions. It also signals to others that you are ingesting the necessary inputs. 3. Link Your Work to the Strategy ↳How: Explicitly connect your current projects and initiatives with the broader business strategy. When communicating about your work, balance the focus between immediate outcomes and future implications. ↳Why: This showcases your long-term thinking and impact, beyond what is being delivered in the near-term. 4. Scale your Work ↳How: Identify ways to expand the impact of your work, either horizontally across different areas of the business or vertically by adding more value to functions you already serve. ↳Why: Scaling your work demonstrates a strategic mindset that thinks beyond the immediate scope. 5. Propose New Opportunities ↳How: Put forward new ideas for the organization, regardless if they may be immediately pursued or not. ↳Why: This shows initiative and a strategic approach to business growth. 6. Expose Your Thought Process ↳How: When in meetings or preparing documents, go beyond presenting results. Articulate the thinking behind your decisions and actions. ↳Why: This helps showcase your strategic thinking to others. 7. Communicate at the Right Altitude ↳How: Tailor your communication to your audience, especially when dealing with senior leaders. Start with the main message ('the punchline') and the first level of detail. ↳Why: This approach ensures that your communication is concise, focused and effective in strategically aligning with the interests and concerns of your audience. PS: Strategic thinking requires mental space, create time for it in your schedule. ----- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

Your Compass to Crush Complexity and Own Tomorrow We’ve all been told to “be more strategic.” But what does that actually mean? Most people think strategy = plans, charts, and meetings. Wrong. True strategy is about how you think — not what you write. It’s seeing patterns in chaos, making bold bets without perfect data, and turning uncertainty into advantage. Top strategists don’t just plan. They rewire their mindset around 8 core skills: 1. Vision → Think decades, not quarters. • Ask: “What will redefine the game in 10 years?” • Build bridges between today’s steps and tomorrow’s goals. • Invest in what your future self will thank you for. 2. Analysis → Map the invisible dominoes. • Ask: “What breaks if we succeed?” • Trace 10-step ripple effects of every decision. • Prepare for risks hiding behind “winning” scenarios. 3. Problem Solving → Strike the root, not the weed. • Ask: “What’s the real problem here?” • Fix systems, not symptoms. • Test solutions with: “If we had one shot…” 4. Focus → 5% effort → 95% impact. • Find your leverage point. • Automate or eliminate the trivial 80%. • Say “no” to anything that doesn’t move the needle. 5. Synthesis → Connect the disconnected. • Ask: “What’s the hidden thread here?” • Turn noise into insight with pattern-spotting. • Replace slide decks with meaning maps. 6. Storytelling → Data + drama = action. • Structure: Crisis → Breakthrough → Path. • Swap jargon for metaphors. • Always answer: “What’s in it for them?” 7. Decisiveness → Move fast, even in fog. • Reversible? → Test. • Irreversible? → Pressure-test, then commit. • Treat mistakes as tuition, not failure. 8. Adaptability → Pivot before the storm hits. • Ask: “What if everything changes tomorrow?” • Build buffers for black swans. • Fail small, learn faster. Strategic thinking isn’t about perfection. It’s about asking sharper questions, seeing systems instead of tasks, and acting when others freeze. Which skill will you sharpen first? ♻️ Repost to help your team think like strategists. 🔔 Follow Natan Mohart for more frameworks to outsmart complexity.

Strategic thinking will become future project managers' #1 skill Anyone can manage tasks. The PMs who will rise are the ones who connect projects to business outcomes. Delivering a new CRM isn't just about doing it "on time and on budget." The value is in increasing lead conversion by X%. Migrating to cloud infrastructure isn't just "completing technical milestones." It's about reducing downtime by Y%, leading to Z cuts cost quarterly. So, how can you start building strategic thinking as a PM? ✅ Ask "so what?" Don't stop at deliverables. Always tie them back to the bigger business goal. If you don't have a goal, should it be a deliverable? ✅ Position yourself closer to what the business cares about Read quarterly reports. Attend strategy meetings. Learn how your org makes money. This will tell you what it's focused on (and could be in the future). Then jump on learning about it proactively, so you can pounce when it's right. ✅ Frame updates in impact rather than activity Executives care less about what's done. And more about what's changed. Tell them what you did, but focus on what it led to. Future project managers will translate tasks into business value. Because timelines get forgotten. But impact doesn't. 🤙

Most CEOs make million-dollar decisions using the same process they use to pick lunch. And that's exactly why 70% of strategic initiatives fail. Here's what I've noticed after watching hundreds of leaders in action: The average founder attacks problems like a firefighter. See problem → Rush to solution → Wonder why it keeps happening. But the best CEOs? They're more like detectives. They know that the first solution is rarely the right solution. The obvious answer is usually incomplete. And moving fast without thinking costs more time than thinking first. I learned this the hard way. Years ago, our sales were tanking. My gut said "hire more salespeople." Seemed obvious. More people = more sales, right? Wrong. When I finally slowed down to really examine the problem, I discovered our pricing was confusing customers. Our best prospects were ghosting us after demos. The fix? A simple pricing calculator on our website. Cost: $500 and one afternoon. Result: 40% increase in close rate. The expensive hiring spree I almost launched? Would've made things worse. Here's what separates strategic thinkers from reactive leaders: 1/ They question before they answer. What's really broken here? What are we not seeing? 2/ They zoom out before they zoom in. How does this connect to everything else? What's the real impact? 3/ They explore before they execute. What are ALL our options? What haven't we tried? 4/ They test before they invest. Can we try this small first? What would prove this works? 5/ They align before they advance. Is everyone clear on the why? Do we all see the same target? The ironic part? This "slower" approach is actually faster. Because you solve the right problem. Once. Instead of the wrong problem. Over and over. Strategic thinking isn't about being smarter. It's about having a better process. One that turns your biggest challenges into your biggest advantages. What expensive mistake could better thinking have helped you avoid? P.S. Want a PDF of my Strategic Thinking Wheel? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/dBGUrp9q ♻️ Repost to help a CEO in your network. Follow Eric Partaker for more strategy insights. — 📢 Want to lead like a world-class CEO? Join my FREE TRAINING: "How to Work with Your Board to Accelerate Your Company’s Growth" Thu Jul 10th, 12 noon Eastern / 5pm UK time https://lnkd.in/dA8ywuY4 📌 The CEO Accelerator starts July 23rd. 20+ Founders & CEOs have already enrolled. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/d3gW4JPH

The One Skill Every Finance Leader Needs in 2025? Strategic Thinking. And It’s Non-Negotiable. Forget spreadsheets. The future of finance leadership isn’t about keeping the books; it's about rewriting the playbook. Strategic thinking is now the difference between a financial controller and a corporate commander. Here’s why it’s become the must-have skill for anyone eyeing the CFO seat or wanting to keep it. 💡 Why Strategic Thinking is the New Power Skill Today’s finance leaders aren’t just reporting numbers. They’re shaping outcomes. Strategic thinkers can: 1️⃣ Decode financial signals to forecast growth and risk. 2️⃣ Align capital allocation with business goals. 3️⃣ Influence enterprise strategy beyond the balance sheet. 4️⃣ Lead cross-functional teams through disruption and uncertainty. The CFO of 2025 isn’t just a financial steward; they’re a transformation architect. 📊 Numbers That Back the Shift 1️⃣ +5% job growth in finance roles by 2030 (BLS), driven by demand for strategic acumen. 2️⃣ 50%+ pay hikes in top finance roles during leadership crunches. 3️⃣ Top hiring criteria: Strategic decision-making now outranks technical prowess 🚀 Career Trajectory: Why This Skill Moves You Forward - Path to C-Suite: Strategic finance leaders are the CEO’s closest allies in driving vision. - Job Security in an AI World: Automation kills routine. Strategic thinking can’t be replaced. - Future-Proofing: Regulation, markets, tech, leaders must anticipate and adapt, not react. 🧭 Unexplored Raj Perspectives: Strategic Thinking Goes Beyond Finance 1️⃣ From Spreadsheets to Strategy Rooms: Finance leaders now lead ESG, digital transformation, innovation funding, and M&A strategy. 2️⃣ Culture Architects: They don’t just drive numbers, they shape mindsets, foster agility, and lead through volatility. 3️⃣ Global-Ready, Tech-Savvy: From navigating international regulations to embedding AI into financial systems, strategic thinkers are wired for scale. Strategic thinking isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the hard edge. In a world where capital is constrained, markets are volatile, and AI is rewriting workflows, finance leaders who think like strategists will lead like CEOs. You want to lead the future of finance? Start thinking like it. #Leadership #Finance #Career #Growth #Strategy #FutureOfWork #Business

15 questions strategic thinkers reflect on alone and within their teams... To demonstrate their value to the team and the organization, strategic thinkers ask questions that reveal their propensity for and commitment to strategy. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. 🚩 You can’t ignore strategy and be a strategic thinker. 🚩 You can’t disregard the importance of delivering value as a leader and be a strategic thinker. 🚩 And you can’t be too busy to make it a priority to develop a culture where others are encouraged to do the same. 𝟭𝟱 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 1️⃣ What is my/our strategic vision, and what are the associated objectives and corresponding goals to realize it? 2️⃣ What is our organization’s next turn in the road, and how will I/we ensure that we don’t miss it? 3️⃣ What is our human capital strategy, and how does it align with organizational strategy – if at all? 4️⃣ Who are our primary internal and external stakeholders? What methods do we use to listen to them? 5️⃣ What most drives and influences my/our decision making? Why? How? 6️⃣ Which strategic analysis model do we apply (i.e., SWOT, value chain, resource-based view, other) to assess the internal and external environments? Why this particular one? Would something else work better? How? 7️⃣ What is our value proposition? What value do we create, and can a sustainable competitive or differentiated advantage be achieved? How? 8️⃣ Why should the other strategic partners do business with me/us? What is in it for them? 9️⃣ Doing more with less is a failing strategy. What does my/our department/division/unit need to keep doing, start doing or stop doing? Why? What must I/we do differently? How? 🔟 What permissions do I/we give those I/we lead to disagree with and challenge me/us? 1️⃣1️⃣ Are we comfortable leading across and upwards? How do we demonstrate it in this organizational culture? 1️⃣2️⃣ What are the accountabilities? Does the culture encourage 360-degree accountability? How? 1️⃣3️⃣ When it comes to performance management, what are our common standards for behavior? Who defined these and why? Was team input involved? 1️⃣4️⃣ What is our ROI for human capital? Consider the ROI for both a return on investment and return on intelligence. Do we need to modify our human capital strategy? Why? How? 1️⃣5️⃣ What is the most powerful thing I/we can do tomorrow to build/execute/advance the organizational and/or operational strategy? Why? What do we need to access or leverage in order to do this? What are the obstacles? 𝘐'𝘮 𝘛𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢. 𝘐 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. #strategicthinkers #strategicthinking #csuite