In our Oct workshop, Futurist Thomas Frey developed a strategic planning process call “back future” – by defining a future state and working backwards, to set priorities and milestones in the near future. But what exactly is a strategy to a leader? Strategy provides companies with techniques to stay focus, which is essential to remain competitive and relevant.
However, if leaders are to win, they also need to rely on the minds of employees throughout the organization to understand the strategic intent and then both implement the current strategy and adapt it in real time.
How do leaders and employees develop the ability to think strategically? In the Crestcom model, as highlighted by Prof. Dr. Leif Erik Wollenweber, there are 5 qualities that foster strategic thinking. They are
1) Curiosity,
2) Flexibility,
3) Openness,
4) Diverse Thinking and
5) Goal Orientation.
It also involves asking yourself a series of questions, including What is your (organisation’s) purpose and values? What are your (employees’) strength and how open and transparent is your organisation’s culture?
After that, use the Strength Weakness Opportunity Threat (SWOT) analysis to get an overview of the business landscape. Finally, set the right priority: what is the most important problem you face or the biggest opportunity?