Here's how you can expand your skill set in Strategy by leveraging your existing skills.

One thing I have found helpful, is to leverage off of your Team and their inputs in Strategy development. Self assessment and experience clearly indicate where your strengths lie, and where improvement is required. We are all blessed to have a diversity of skill sets, mind sets and insights in our colleagues. We so often veer into a strategic direction without opening ourselves up to the fact that a collaborative approach will challenge your thought processes, and set the course for successful strategy implementation and results delivery.

Something I find very useful is to gamify the experience as a whole. As individuals, a key struggle is being able to take that precious step-back when doing a self-assessment. Drawing up a character can alleviate the pains of the process tremendously and get us to where we want to go: pinpointed data on self and skills. Dividing a blank page in three sections, each analysing our ??fight or flee?? response is the first step for deeper reasoning. Only by mastering your first circle can you begin to strategise - a word often misused for planning. A strategy, on the contrary, is not a series of steps to reach a goal. A strategy is a path devised with both wit and wisdom to leverage a specific skillset to maximise the potential of success.

A very good way to clearly identify and measure your own skill set, is to create (or lead) a complex project that demands skills to the limit, then try to fulfill every aspect by yourself (better if you work by the side of experts). Then document in detail what you can or can’t do. This is your detailed and tested skill assessment. Sometimes reality bites.

La unica manera de desarrollar y fortalcer las habilidades es estudiando y practicando. Los entrenamientos son los que nos ayudan a poder desarrollar estas habilidades para después poder aplicarlos. La unica manera de poder entender como resolver problemas es enteniendo desde la base. Loc conceptos básicos.

It’s always a winner if one can work towards changing a weakness into a strength and a threat into an opportunity. Goal setting is important to achieve this. SMART goals.????

The competitive landscape is constantly evolving, I have found that agility in creating a strategic framework critical. A SWOT analysis will always remain the foundation for strategy development, and ensuring that the tactical plan aligns with the SWOT will ensure effective strategic planning and implementation. Having said this, consistency in analyzing market data, trends and insights will allow for adaptation of a strategic plan to re-align with the competitive landscape. Change is constant, pre-determined levers to adapt to this change allows strategy to remain relevant and effective.

Finding a mentor is crucial, offering guidance, experience, and support. Seek individuals within your network or industry who exhibit the strategic expertise you aim to develop. A mentor can offer practical insights and real-world applications of strategic concepts, helping you refine your skills to navigate stakeholder relationships and influence decision-making effectively.

I also suggest leveraging reverse mentoring, where you, as the mentee, share your expertise in areas such as technology, innovation, or digital transformation with your mentor. This reciprocal relationship fosters a two-way exchange of knowledge and perspectives, enhancing the strategic capabilities of both parties. Additionally, consider joining or forming mastermind groups with peers who are equally committed to expanding their strategic skill set. These groups can provide a collaborative environment for sharing experiences, challenges, and solutions. By combining traditional mentoring with reverse mentoring and peer collaboration, you create a multifaceted approach to learning that accelerates your growth.

Seek the mentorship of an individual that will challenge your strategic thought process, as there are so many considerations in strategy development that are easily overlooked when working in isolation. A mentor should be a person that has excelled through their experience, and can associate simply because they have been where you are. Take their guidance, ask the relevant questions to gain an understanding that will ultimately obtain results. A mentor will not only have your interests at heart, but those of the organization - objectivity is as much of a skill learned, as the strategic insights and experience. I have learned that and have been very blessed with experienced, and objective mentorship through my career.

Este punto puede ser polémico si integramos a la IA como parte del equipo, entonces hay un cambio de rumbo: en lugar de mentores para el equipo deberíamos pedir a los mentores para entrenar a la IA de la compa?ía, introduciendo las guías base y las lecciones aprendidas, el conocimiento de los clientes y proveedores de información, determinar las habilidades duras actuales del equipo para potenciarlas o redefinirlas y reforzar las habilidades blandas como: escucha activa, empatía, integración y sentido de pertenencia buscando que los equipos puedan actuar en escenarios inciertos con la confianza suficiente para trabajar de la mano con la IA.

Mentors come in various forms, shapes, sizes, colors, and ages and you need to open your mind to possibilities. Mentors from organizations such as SCORE can be a boon to young entrepreneurs. Likewise, with so many older adults getting back in the workplace after being retired or semi-retired, can certainly look to successful young entrepreneurs for advice. Same is true for learning new tips & tricks from different cultures/religions.

In a world of innovation, if we are being honest, we realize that 100% of new things that happened had never been done before. Often, it's not the fact that we have experience that moves us along, it's the fact that we have courage. It's the fact that we have intelligence. We were smart enough to figure out our last assignment and that gives us the ability to trust that we can execute well in unknown territory. This is what it means to be human: from crying to crawling to standing to walking to running to ride our bikes.

There is a famous saying, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Let me do and I will remember & learn." Application of learning, teaches you nuances, builds pattern memory, and reinforces understanding at a deeper level. Once you have applied one or more times, you start looking around the bends, anticipating and tackling potentials risks, and above all start looking at the human factor and less on the process- as it becomes muscle memory.

Apply your transferable skills and past experiences & leverage data to understand the trends and patterns that will help to decide the best course of action. Strategy is just not about knowing what to do but also most importantly to know what not to do and this should not be based on hunch instead backed by solid data and analysis of the on ground situation.

Once you gained basic knowledge on strategy, the best way forward is applying the learnings and learn from failures and successes.

Step into the Arena! Don't just learn strategy, apply it! Volunteer for high-impact projects in your MSO. Think: developing a new service line business plan or analyzing competitor expansion plans. Why it Works: Learn by Doing: Real-world experience cements strategic concepts. Sharpen Your Skills: Adapt your strengths (e.g., data analysis) to strategic tasks. Unlock Potential: Discover new uses for your skills as a strategic thinker. Become a Strategic Asset! Dive into projects, hone your skills, and conquer the urgent care MSO landscape!

Document your reflections in a journal or a digital log to track your growth over time. This practice allows you to identify patterns, recognize areas where you've made significant strides, and pinpoint recurring challenges that need further attention. Additionally, use these reflections to set new goals and adjust your development plan as needed.

You don't learn from experience - You learn from reflecting on experiences So often we read books, complete projects or otherwise push ourselves to grow but fail to do the hard work of reflection afterward Test yourself: What are three key learnings of each of the last three books you read? To improve this, start a regular reflection habit - I collect and summarize key learnings from every book I read and course I do - Further, I use a framework with questions like "What worked well?", "What did I improve?" and "What do I need to change?" every week Learning without reflection is like growing a tree without gathering fruit Do the extra work to reflect to reap the full benefits of your labor!

Forget grand plans! Pilot mini-strategies & gather real-world data. Reflect: What worked? What skills (comm, analysis) did I use? This fuels future wins & strategic confidence. #TestAdaptThrive Repeat. This "test, learn, conquer" cycle builds strategic muscle memory, boosting confidence to tackle any challenge.

Expanding your strategic skill set involves leveraging your existing skills through regular reflection, which should be a continuous process before, during, and after action, in a circular way. And very important: stay curious. Always ask yourself, "What can I learn and use from this?" when encountering best practices or successful business cases from any field, even if out of context. Experiment with these insights to refine your strategies and then reflect. In summary, regular reflection and a curious mindset help you leverage your existing skills and become a more effective strategist.

Since you cannot self-coach on blind spots, consider hiring a consultant to ensure a "professional outsiders' perspective". The consultant will make sure that you discover your blind spots, next to the points that you've addressed.

When you commit to incorporating consistent networking into your monthly routine, start with an intensive 90-day "all-in" strategy. During this period, attend more events than usual, maybe even two per week, mixing chamber of commerce meetings, professional peer-to-peer groups, and industry-specific organizations. This 90-day blitz accelerates your connections, creating a robust foundation for future networking. In addition to professional growth, these events often have a social aspect, providing opportunities for fun and engaging interactions that can lead to lasting friendships and more meaningful business relationships. Building rapport in a relaxed setting can significantly enhance your networking effectiveness and enjoyment.

?? Network Strategically: Engage with professionals from various industries. Conversations with diverse peers broaden strategic understanding and inspire innovation. ?? Seek Diverse Perspectives: Learn how strategy operates across different contexts. This enriches knowledge and sparks new ways to apply skills. ?? Identify New Opportunities: Networking opens doors to opportunities. Practise and refine strategic skills in varied settings. ?? Expand Strategic Horizons: Broaden your view of strategy. Exposure to different approaches enhances overall strategic acumen.

Networking is important, but networking strategically is critical. Professionally, network up and down your value chain within the industry and with co-dependent industry folks. And network at various levels as learning comes at all levels. Personally, network with people who inspire you, and add a dimension to your learning and growth that is a soft skill. Network via professional platforms, via in-person events, reach out to do charitable events. Make time for this over the course of the year.

Networking is crucial to broaden your horizon and to compare to your peers. You can manage it as discipline by doing each month a predefined number of networking actions. In our hyper-connected society it is pretty easy to enroll to various events where you can meet peers, partners and customers.

In my opinion, the most important thing about networking is stepping out of your comfort zone and introducing yourself to new people. This can be challenging, but it’s incredibly rewarding. When you take the initiative to start conversations with professionals from different backgrounds, you open yourself up to a wealth of new opportunities and ideas. These interactions can lead to valuable business connections, collaborations, and even new clients. For me, the real power of networking lies in these moments of reaching out and making meaningful connections, which can truly transform your business and professional growth.

Relisez vos cours de stratégie, si vous en avez déjà suivis, et/ou lisez un manuel de stratégie récent, puis appliquez les concepts, les théories et les modèles d’écrits à des cas réels d’entreprise que vous trouverez dans les médias économiques. Les bons manuels de stratégie proposent des cas et des illustrations qui permettent de vérifier votre acquisition des compétences. Pour aller encore plus loin, vous pouvez vous inscrire dans un programme de stratégie en formation permanente. Dans tous les cas, il est essentiel de maintenir cet équilibre entre apprentissage des concepts et applications pratiques. Avec de l’expérience, vous développerez une capacité d’analyse des choix stratégiques réels des entreprises, et notamment de la v?tre.

'Strategy is all about choice', I liked this definition the most. Strategy is making a right choice among many, that delivers profits, competitive advantage, market share, sales etc. With that I would say - domain knowledge, continuous learning, business acumen, analytical and synthetic skills are the ones that you one needs to harness to shine in strategy making.

To expand your skill set in strategy, begin by leveraging your existing skills and gaining new insights. Utilize your analytical thinking to evaluate strategic options and familiarize yourself with frameworks like SWOT and PESTLE. Apply your project management experience to lead strategic initiatives, and study methodologies Track your progress and reflect on your experiences. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of strategic initiatives and align metrics with your strategic goals. Lastly, reflect on past projects to identify what worked well and what didn’t, and integrate feedback and lessons learned into future strategies.

1. Cross-disciplinary learning, such as applying principles from behavioral economics or psychology, offers fresh insights into consumer behavior and decision-making processes, enhancing analytical capabilities. 2. Engaging in both mentorship and reverse mentorship allows seasoned strategists to gain contemporary perspectives and technological savvy from younger colleagues, staying current with emerging trends. 3. Participating in scenario planning and simulation exercises sharpens strategic thinking by simulating real-world challenges, helping strategists anticipate changes and devise adaptive strategies. Integrating these approaches enriches the strategic toolkit with valuable, contemporary methods.

Change is important for the business as well as employees. If you are doing the same role for years, you may feel outgrown. Hence get to know and learn the next position or career requirements, skillset and competencies. It's always great to organise your time and have dedicated time for self development which is the best ROI.