27/03/2021
STRATEGIC THINKING PLUNGE
By Emmanuel Mnzava
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Welcome to the short excursion on strategic thinking; dive with me in the shallow-end about this topic and later on submerge with me in the deep-end of the thinking process.
From one strategist to another, let’s plunge!
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[SHALLOW-END OF STRATEGIC THINKING]
Strategic thinking occurs in a regular basis. We indulge into strategic thinking all the time, knowingly and unknowingly. We do it in our normal lives, or formally at work in boardrooms.
Simply just getting things done in your organisation does not position your organition for success. Twenty first century is characterized by competitive business landscape – many organizations are moving from basic “strategic planning” to more of “strategic thinking”. The latter being the process of generation of insight while the former being the channel to which the generated insights are organized into an articulated plan to archive goals and objectives. However, to reap maximum benefits, both thought processes, must be carefully blended to work hand-in-hand, so that the former systematically feeds the latter.
The Chinese army general and philosopher, Sun Tzu, in his book the Art of War, he said; “All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.” You can see here Sun Tzu refers to the thinking process that led to the formulation of strategies that vividly manifest as tactics. Sun Tzu knew very well the secret to best strategies rests upon the ability for effective strategic thinking.
It quite fascinates me the varying degree of which strategic thinking happens in organisations, from excellent to non-existing. Some organisations have recommendable culture, appetite and prowess for strategic thinking while others seems unconcerned. Strategic thinking is a tedious process; it requires research, analytical thinking, innovation, problem-solving ability, effective communication and leadership, and decisiveness.
Recently, it is increasingly becoming a common denominator that most organisations seek for leaders that are “strategists”, “forward-thinkers” – the ones that are able to think strategically to discover novel ideas, re-write the rules of the competitive game, and set in motion a chain of events that will shape and define the future of an organisation. And, the leaders are also expected to be successful with minimal resources, time, talent and capital to outwit the competition.
It would serve this article right for me to dive deeper into this topic of strategic thinking, particularly zeroing down to the thinking process that concerns the subject.
Therefore, join me to the deep-end of strategic thinking: let us dive deeper into this topic, and immerse ourselves in the fundamental elements that form the strategic thinking process - for this article is motivated by the premise that new growth comes from new thinking.
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[DEEP-END OF STRATEGIC THINKING]
Let us approach the subject of strategic thinking and consider a perception which particularly concerns it, that of strategic reasoning – which requires a thought process that is intentional and rational to facilitate analysis of critical factors and variables that influence medium to long term success.
I would not trouble you on the discussion of the depth of the thinking process, for it is complex and tedious, I have already been led deeper into that path more than I should have desired. Consider not the fact of the depth of thinking but the simple processes of thinking, the thing that is thought and the product of the thinking process. In other words, this session of the article explores the “what” and “how” of strategic reasoning – in a manner that problems are regurgitated through a thoughtful mental process to give birth to strategic solutions.
It is sometimes scary for someone to submerge themselves into strategic thinking, with the pressure of high expectations, many tends to shun way from it. Strategic thinking is like taking a cold plunge, once one is in, it is okay!
The expectation that one is hoped to continuously devise solutions to problems, necessitate the need for reasoning stamina; the stamina to continuously engage in reasoning strategically and thinking outside the box to produce new ideas. The reasoning stamina as a continuity of the thinking process about a problem – it does not depend on the prolongation of existence of a single idea but unification of combination of several ideas to form a comprehensive solution to a problem. In this order, the reproduction of new ideas forming solutions goes on in such continuous sequence where several ideas keep colliding and refined within the attentively thinking mind.
Strategic thinking requires attention, and depth in reasoning (which I promised earlier not to venture into in this article). As one reasons strategically, in this process, it requires them to attend fully. It may seem like a hush saying; but, a person who fails to concentrate; he or she may be considered weak. One must concentrate by withdrawing their attention from anything else and only attend to the problem at hand. To indulge deeply in strategic thinking, one must concentrate so that they can get the best strategic solutions to difficult pressing problems.
Attending to the strategic thinking process, tends to mold someone from a doer into a thinker. The more one indulges in it; the more they become synonymous with it, and therefore strategic thinking becomes part-and-parcel of their life.
Strategic thinking process is constantly being interfered with the ever-changing dynamic environment (of the competitive landscape). Problems that the mind entertains in this process of strategic thinking, prevails in an environment that is external to the thinking mind, and tends to change frequently in size and form. The dynamic nature of strategic problems requires the ability for one to switch their thinking context and reprogramming their mind fast and quick to formulate new insights.
The ultimate of strategic thinking, as a form of thing process, its end-product is a formulated thought – an idea in simple terms. After long mental deliberation, one’s mind tends to get elevated into a space of higher thinking order where ideas radiate and become formulated. These ideas tend to move freely in the moment of experience which brings what is present into ones intuitional grasp. During this time, one can follow up these connections of reality which immediately surrounds them (mentally). One can shift their stand point within their mind, in space and time, and be able to filter through clear and meaningful perceptions. At this moment of realization, one is being furnished with ideas that have strategic values which once applied may cause major transformation in the real world (the physical world outside one’s mind).
Once ideas are fully formed, they must be communicated.
Strategic thinking does not occur by transmission, by communication but rather it occurs in transmission, in communication. When the reasoning process produces a thought that is packaged in a form of an idea, one need to share and communicate it. Communication is the way ideas are shared between individuals so that they can be refined and consensus can be reached. It is a rule-of-thumb: consensus requires communication. The process of sharing ideas by itself tends to educate oneself and improve the knowledge of the group to which information is shared.
Strategic thinking process continues in increasingly complex forms. The continuation of this thinking process, therefore, means continuous seeking, information and re-adaptation on the environment of the problem that solutions are being sought for. This process almost asks one to be a dreamer, a forecaster of the future, and a medium to connect to breakthrough insights – so that one is able to see the future and find ways to mold it to the shape they want.
Strategic thinking prowess does not occur from an overnight of thinking, it is built over time.
Of course, there is shallowness of substance in ideas from the beginners of strategic thinking, which is surprisingly the same as those that do not do it more often. Strategic thinking, at the very fundamental level, requires practice to optimally stimulate and strengthen nerve endings. It is by strengthening the complex neural connection that someone can realize improvements in their ability to do something – be it performing in sports or for this particular topic, ability to reason strategically. It is simple: if someone does not practice strategic thinking, he or she will not be good in it! Practice. Practice. Practice. This is the only way to mastery of strategic thinking.
If one’s mind becomes dormant and their thought process is quiet on issues of strategic thinking, they begin to perish as a leader, and this is a sure way to loose their identity as a “strategist”. Strategic thinking is a self-renewing and -discovery process upon action on continued reasoning.
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[SUMMARY]
In case you forget all that you have ready in this article so far, do not forget the following three things:
[1] Practice! Practice! Practice!
One cannot master strategic thinking by just reading articles and books. This article may give someone good suggestions on how best they should conduct themselves in the water. But, eventually they must get wet, and possibly get struggled and be scared to death. The only way to master the art of strategic thinking is to plunge. By incorporating strategic thinking into their everyday work and life routines, one may become more skilled at anticipating, forecasting, and capitalizing on opportunities. One should indulge in strategic thinking as frequently as they can.
[2] Capacitate self and others!
One should passionately seek to continuously grow their skills in strategic thinking, by seeking learning and development opportunities on strategic thinking. By doing so, one may be elevated from tactical to strategic thinkers and become a valuable leadership resource.
[3] Be an agile thinker!
One is required to be fast in taking advantage of new trends as they emerge otherwise they will be in the risk of being left behind. Strategic thinking requires agility and decisiveness in choosing correct strategies to correct problems in a very dynamic and unstable environment, therefore one is expected to perform a balancing act between consistency and flexibility.
Fellow strategist, keep on plunging into the strategic thinking pool!
----- The End ------
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