Strategic thinkers can elevate a team, a department, and a company to another level. They personify valuable skills that make a difference in any industry or organization.
Few would argue with this premise, but how do you know if someone is a strategic thinker? Identifying these unique assets is necessary to unlock their potential while determining who can benefit from having an improved strategic mindset instilled in them.
Let’s discuss the characteristics that set them apart and how to spot strategic thinker personalities.
What Are the Behaviors of a Strategic Thinker?
The traits of strategic thinkers manifest in certain behaviors that can help you identify them. Look for these actions that are consistent with strategic thinking:
- They anticipate future challenges. Strategic thinkers don’t just react to problems as they arise; they proactively identify potential risks and develop plans to address them before they become significant obstacles.
- They make data-driven decisions. Gut feelings shouldn’t be ignored altogether, but analyzing relevant information leads to smarter, more informed decisions.
- They adapt to new situations. How you deal with change greatly impacts success. Strategic thinkers will discover how to handle a new situation instead of fixating on the change.
- They offer creative solutions. Out-of-the-box thinking can revolutionize processes, increase efficiency, and set your business apart. Strategic thinkers consider the untested and unproven.
- They stay informed about industry trends. Strategic thinkers keep a pulse on market and industry shifts, ensuring they’re prepared to capitalize on emerging opportunities and navigate potential challenges.
- They focus on long-term goals. While keeping up with the day-to-day operations is essential, strategic thinkers always align their actions with a broader vision, ensuring sustained progress and success.
What Is the Most Strategic Personality Type?
Anyone can develop strategic thinking skills, regardless of their base personality type. We all have different strengths that can be leveraged as we grow our competencies.
The Myers-Briggs framework identifies four key preference areas that influence personality. For instance, Intuitive types naturally focus on the future, Thinking types rely on facts, data, and logic to make decisions, and Judging types prefer structured plans with clear milestones. As a result, NTJ personality types often are most at ease with strategic thinking. However, it’s important to note that strategic thinking is a skill that can be cultivated by anyone, regardless of personality type.
That being said, the following Myers-Briggs personality types may enjoy some natural tendencies toward strategic thinking:
- INTJ: The Conceptual Planner is curious, driven by knowledge, and eager to chart a new path forward. They share the strategic thinker’s penchant for creative problem-solving and data-driven solutions.
- ENTJ: The Decisive Strategist finds a way forward—no matter what. They tend to be strong leaders who draw people into their vision and relentlessly pursue their goals.
Practical Tips for Recognizing Strategic Thinker Personalities at Work
The information covered here is valuable in identifying the signs of strategic thinking, but this section will give you a few targeted tips. You’ll notice that these traits generally take some time to identify; we’re looking at a pattern of behavior that indicates a certain mindset.
If you’re interested in hiring strategic thinkers, see our companion piece about how to demonstrate strategic thinking on a job application to know what to look for in that situation.
Impactful Contributions
Pay attention to team members consistently contribute meaningful insights. Strategic thinkers often make valuable contributions during brainstorming sessions and group discussions, but they are not always the loudest person in the room. Instead, their impact is seen in the results of their ideas over time. If you notice that a particular team member’s suggestions frequently lead to successful outcomes, this may indicate a strategic thinker. Consider inviting that individual to contribute earlier in the planning or decision-making process to harness their potential more effectively.
Long-Term Vision
Strategic thinkers are not just focused on the issues of today’s —they have a clear eye on the future. They often consider what steps are necessary to take the team, project, or organization to the next level. Whether it’s anticipating future trends or proactively identifying opportunities for growth, these team members focus on the big picture to ensure lasting success.
Continuous Improvement
Closely tied to their long-term vision, strategic thinkers are driven by a desire to evolve and improve. They proactively identify inefficiencies, refine processes, and explore innovative breakthrough (incremental or bold) that keep the team or organization moving forward. Strategic thinkers often ask forward-thinking questions like, “How can we do this better?” or “What’s the next step to improve results?” Their mindset is rooted in delivering greater value and building a stronger future.
Nurture Strategic Thinking with CMOE
While certain personality types may enjoy a slight advantage with certain characteristics, strategic leaders are generally created through developing essential strategic thinking skills, not born innately knowing everything about how to be a strategic leader. The right investment can help you develop your strategic skills and encourage these characteristics throughout your team as well.
Unlock your organizations potential with CMOE’s Strategy Development Processes and Services. Transform critical skills, drive breakthrough performance and accelerate success through our proven processes.
