Organizations that leverage a strategic thinking framework position themselves to establish competitive differentiation and relevance in the marketplace. In recent survey, the vast majority of senior leaders—97%—pegged strategic thinking for leadership as the most important factor in success. This level of consensus is far from typical; anyone can clearly draw the conclusion that strategic thinking isn’t just valuable, but essential.
But strategic thinking requires time and commitment. It’s a complex, intricate competency that combines a number of characteristics and thought styles to achieve its full potential. Despite its complexity, the importance of strategic thinking in the workplace is clear; it’s worth analyzing the pillars of strategic thinking and examining the thought processes that make a framework function.
How many pillars of strategic thinking are there? While there may not be a consensus on the exact number of pillars or precisely what they entail, we see the following nine distinct ways of thinking as a good place to begin.
1. Analytical Thinking
The power of analytical thinking is the ability to assess data and information systematically, identifying patterns, inconsistencies, and opportunities for improvement. This skill is vital for making logical, data-driven decisions. For example, an analytical thinker might examine key performance indicators (KPIs) from a variety of sources to pinpoint the root cause of a business issue. Unlike relying on intuition or broad assumptions, analytical thinking demands precision, critical evaluation, and evidence-based conclusions.
2. Futuristic Thinking
We’ve had a lot to say about strategic thinking—from the three phases of strategic thinking to the five choices of strategy—and one aspect that has come up repeatedly is the ability to see the big picture and work toward large, long-term goals without neglecting the immediate needs of any given project. Futuristic thinking is essential and needs to be balanced with present-day thinking for the current operations and processes already in place. A strategic thinker can anticipate potential trends, what the market might look like, and what will be best for the organization for years to come.
3. Innovative Thinking
Sometimes proven, tried-and-true solutions to our work can be applied to similar situations and scenarios, repeatedly. But this type of fixed thinking may not be relevant for tomorrow’s problems or golden opportunities. An innovative thinker breaks from conventional wisdom to apply creative solutions that address problems in new or different ways that improve efficiencies and generate value. Empower these innovative strategic thinkers by showing a willingness to listen, consider, and try new ideas that align with the business strategy.
4. Critical Thinking
This goes hand-in-hand with analytical thinking, but critical thinking is a valuable complementary pillar because it evaluates and questions almost everything. While an analytical thinker will compile data from all available sources, a critical thinker might determine that some sources are more reliable or applicable to the problem than others. Critical thinkers will also seek to challenge assumptions in order to minimize biases to consider how personal experience or feelings may shape perspective on a topic. They also encourage constructive conversations from multiple viewpoints to challenge their own and others’ thinking. This pillar of strategic thinking seeks to identify and eliminate biases and logical flaws.
5. Adaptive Thinking
Change is constant in the world we live in. Markets evolve, workforces grow and shrink, the economy fluctuates, and new trends replace old ones. A strategic thinker needs to be ready and able to adapt their original action plans to deal with change and shifting circumstances that can positively or negatively impact their efforts. Adaptive and innovative thinking complement each other because change presents an opportunity to find creative solutions to new problems.
6. Resilient Thinking
Innovative thinkers who strive to adapt to changing circumstances will not always have a perfect track record—they’re taking risks on unproven approaches that may not always pay off. But the truth is that organizations need smart risk-takers who can see and seize opportunities that have big payoffs with limited downside risk, even if temporary setbacks occur. A resilient thinker pushes past adversity and difficulty to apply learning, insights, and takeaways to future endeavors. Good strategic thinkers apply a dose of resiliency when things don’t turn out. They rally, celebrate the value of a hard-earned lesson, and move forward.
7. Collaborative Thinking
This is a great pillar to focus on when you’re looking for strategic thinking skills in interviews for potential new hires. Many of the mindsets in this list fall apart without collaborative thinking because teamwork is essential to every organization. The truth is that even the best strategic thinkers aren’t the smartest people in the room. They don’t have all the answers, data, insights, or experience for strategic efforts to succeed. The ability to collaborate with team members and produce solutions that incorporate a diversity of thought makes everyone stronger than they are on their own and increases the probability of success.
8. Ethical Thinking
The team has finally landed upon a solution to a problem that has been vexing them for weeks. Before moving forward with implementation, it is crucial to ensure the plan aligns with the company’s values, legal standards, and responsibility to the community. A skilled strategic thinker will not neglect this final check to identify and address any ethical concerns, recognizing that while breaking boundaries can fuel innovation, ethical and legal parameters must remain intact. After all, some boxes are meant to be challenged, but some lines should never be crossed.
9. Reflective Thinking
They say that those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it, and this wisdom applies to organizations and individuals alike. Reflective thinking allows strategic leaders to examine past decisions, extracting valuable lessons to inform and strengthen future choices. While success offers insights, failures often provide even deeper learning opportunities- especially when approached with resilience and curiosity. A reflective thinker evaluates critical missteps to uncover areas for improvement, without becoming mired in self-criticism. After all, if you’re too busy dwelling on your mistakes, you’ll miss the chance to grow from them.
Build Upon These Pillars of Strategic Thinking with CMOE
Strategic thinking can and should be developed in every employee. That’s precisely why we developed our Applied Strategic Thinking® workshop—to help every member of your organization tap into and strengthen the thought processes that define a strategic thinker. Utilize CMOE’s more than 45 years of experience to move your organization to the next level.
