Staying On Top

...it is about making a conscious choice to create your future.

Strategy is not about devising and implementing a linear path toward one particular outcome -- it is a way of thinking that must be in the forefront of your mind as you observe the world around you, and it must permeate every decision you make. It may take time to adopt a strategic way of thinking, but once you do it will become second nature.

At its heart, strategic thinking is very simple. In fact, it is as simple as one, tow, three: One, where are we now? Two, where do we want to go? and three, how do we get there? It is within the role of any team leader, manager, small business owner, or organizational leader to know their current situation and what they want to achieve in the next three to five years, and to work with others to reach that goal. However, strategy is not about designing a map for the future and then setting it in stone -- it is a dynamic process that defines a broad path along which you and your organization or team will achieve success.

You must always be thinking strategically. When something unexpected happens, your first thought should be " how does this affect our strategy?" and you must be ready to reevaluate or change strategy if you need to. Even once you have implemented a strategy and achieved the outcome you were hoping for, you must fight the thought that you can simply do the same again and still be successful. The world around you -- the context in which you are making strategic decisions -- never stays still. Stay alert to your changing environment and always look for new and better options. Strategic management is not about making continuous knee-jerk reactions to a series of unconnected events -- it is about making a conscious choice to create your future.

ACTION POINT: Develop and practice the habit of thinking strategically.