How do you develop a strategic mindset in your daily work?

Fostering a strategic mindset in daily work involves maintaining a long-term vision, making data-driven decisions, prioritizing high-impact tasks, cultivating critical thinking, setting SMART goals, collaborating across functions, planning for contingencies, maintaining a feedback loop, continuous learning, and adaptability. These practices ensure your daily efforts align with long-term success and organizational goals.

It can be challenging and cumbersome to create mission and vision statements for every single project. Instead, adopting an overarching vision/mission would be a more practical approach. Then, consider how the project aligns with this overall mission. It is also important to distinguish, yet ensure alignment, between an individual's sense of their professional mission/vision (implicit or explicit) and that of the business organization.

Here are some steps ?? Set Clear Goals ?? Think Long-Term ?? Encourage Collaboration ?? Take Calculated Risks ??Develop Analytical Skills

You practice mindfulness. You become very grounded in who you are so when anything veers from what isn’t right for you, you immediately pick up on it. You recognize distractions and you are in a hurry to get them out of the way. This is a presence of observation of self when you sit with yourself deep thinking. Then, use that in plotting your bridge to get from A to B in your day to day. It is always about kindness and taking care of everyone around us. As corny as it may sound, there is no strategy that will work that doesn’t include humans working together in a sustainable way. Period. Let’s keep that in mind; every day in our actions. We have to learn to express ourselves in frustration (because it WILL happen!) and lead with grace again

Vision is often stated before mission. But mission/purpose, precede vision. First determine why why your organisation exists. Then consider a target to achieve - the vision. The purpose should answer three questions: 1. Who is the organisation serving? (beneficiaries) 2. What do the beneficiaries expect? (benefits) 3. How do the beneficiaries assess the outcomes being delivered? (this is a Beneficiary Performance Indicator - BPI - not a Kept Promise Indicator - KPI). For vision, consider a defined target to be achieved over a given period of time. Purpose is the light on the hill, forever pursued but never finally reached. If it is, the organisation can be closed. Vision is a line in the sand. Once delivered, a new vision can be set.

It’s critical to expand your level of curiosity and colleague conversations beyond the normal walls of your silo or historic area of expertise. I’ve often found questions and insights that emerge from beyond the functional “experts” to be the most helpful to seeing around strategic corners. And those leaders who’ve demonstrated a history of intellectual pursuits outside of a narrow area are oftentimes best equipped to leverage those insights once captured.

Understanding the landscape you're operating in is critical for crafting a sound strategy. I often kickstart this process by tapping into resources from consulting firms, which serve as an excellent primer. Engaging with vendors, customers, and even competitors offers valuable perspectives that help in shaping my own point of view. This multi-faceted approach not only enriches your strategic vision but also ensures that it's grounded in real-world insights.

I would emphasize the power of starting on small quick wins that the organization sees as low risk pursuits. Also play around with different ways to structure the future capabilities. Such as labeling each for level of difficulty, investment required, timeline to develop, alignment to customer needs, if the company has the current resources, and if the payoff for developing the capability is high. It’s important to define the parameters for each designation to drive a common assessment. Then overall, users will have portfolio they can asses as a whole for alignment to the vision and mission, better define the asks of leadership/resources required for success, and have a portfolio developed with an appropriate mix of risk, cost, schedule.

The resources-forces-observer (Ro/Fo/Ob) model is one approach for analyzing the environment and stakeholders in strategic contexts. The model suggests that there are three fundamental threats to survival both for living organisms and business organizations: limited resources, the presence of external forces, and the existence of other friendly or adversarial decision-making entities. The challenge lies in comprehending the tradeoffs inherent in addressing these threats. For instance, enhancing force management often necessitates redundancy, which can, in turn, have a detrimental effect on the efficiency and the resource management capabilities of the organization.

Get to know hiden commitments of key stakeholder for new strategy delivery is a key incrediance to success. Every leader or manager is having two types of “silent advosors“ in their head. Once being advising to play the corporate role, the second to be a human and considering what is at stake for me personaly. But often, they might be in conflict. We should not be afreaid to talk openly about our hidden commitments as we feel their are creating risk of failure. It is up to the leader to create a such comfort zone to share it within the team and discuss the way to get over it.

Strategic thinking goes beyond simply generating alternatives; it demands a proactive approach to action, especially in ambiguous situations. The core of effective strategy is about taking decisive actions, securing a strong position, and continuously creating options. These actions are strategically planned to maximize freedom of movement, akin to taking the high ground, thereby ensuring preparedness for seizing emerging opportunities. This method positions you advantageously, ready to capitalize on favorable conditions as they arise. Ultimately, strategic thinking aims to develop a range of options that provide the flexibility needed to adapt swiftly and effectively as scenarios unfold.

Organizations commonly face the challenge of objectively generating and evaluating alternatives. For instance, a bias against novel ideas and an aversion to solutions that originate outside the organization ('not invented here') often exists. To mitigate this, it is helpful to enlist a neutral/external voice to assist in the process of generating/evaluating strategic alternatives. In resource-crunched situations, Generative AI tools, like Language Model Models (LLMs), can play a role in generating and assessing potential options.

Fostering a purposeful team culture has always been challenging, but this can be achieved by changing the perspective toward the values. Anchoring in shared values, defining a clear strategy, and fostering seamless collaboration. Embracing diverse skills within the team, strategically aligned for effective execution, and creating a local culture have been crucial in my experience. It's about crafting a unique team culture within the organisation. Companies could use strategic tools like the McKinsey 7S model, SWOT, etc., to align corporate values.

Strategic planning is as much about analysis as it is about the instinctual grasp of the myriad threads in the business tapestry. While frameworks like SWOT or decision matrices sharpen our focus on factors that are quantifiable, they must be complemented with seasoned judgment honed by experience. In my role, I've found that combining these analytical methods with the insights drawn from cross-functional team inputs enriches the decision-making process. Moreover, questioning our preconceived notions ensures a dynamic and adaptable strategy, vital in the fluid landscape of software engineering leadership.

I’d propose a KT analysis as a great tool. This allows all the data and options to be weighted against one another. Easy to chart for presentations with the data organized this way too.

Your daily business activities should align with a set of larger initiatives that flow from your company's strategies and departmental priorities. As you look at the flow of your year, month, week, and day, intentionally link each activity to a strategic priority. Work learning time into your day and select learning objectives that align with your strategic goals. If your time is not billable within your corporate model, manage your time as if it were. This will help you understand and communicate how your daily activities are fully aligned to business objectives. Your firm’s strategic priorities may not be in your personal control but make the most of your contribution by ensuring your daily activities support work that matters.

Every strategy book will tell you that strategy is about making choices. However, what I see too often in strategy papers and presentations is a comparison of 2-3 options, where one option is clearly better than the others. This is a problem, because the *real* challenge has not been addressed. If the real strategic obstacle was addressed, several options with different pros and cons emerge. As a board member or decision maker, always insist in having real options presented, not just one options and two straw men.

Creating a strategy is one thing and Executing on that is another. The later is more important. In my experience, a strong action bias goes a long way in achieving the objectives. Prioritizing the objectives and activities is another key success factors that drive the outcome in a manner that makes positive impact on the customer satisfaction and in turn on the bottom line. Delivering work in an iterative manner and getting regular feedback from the customers or users is essential to ensure right things are getting delivered and in right fashion. As they say, change is the only constant thing. The reality is always different than what was envisaged since the environment keeps changing.

Business cases revised regularly should be a key driver on continuing individual projects. I would also call out to track any support promised from leadership. Leadership should also continue to be a strong sponsor of executing the roadmap.

Once you’ve analyzed alternatives and decided on the best approach, commit to it and put your plan into action. Set clear, actionable goals and prioritize tasks that align with your strategy. Regularly monitor your progress and be ready to adjust as needed. By consistently applying and refining your strategy, you’ll build a habit of strategic thinking that enhances your daily work and drives long-term success.

Strategic thinking is an ongoing journey of growth and refinement. Some practical steps to develop an strategic mindset: Outcome Assessment: Regularly assess results. What succeeded and what didn't? If it didn′t, what adjustments are needed? Self-Reflection: Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. For instances, if analysis is a weakness, focus on enhancing analytical skills. Learning from Peers: Observe colleagues and industry leaders. Ask questions, learn from their approaches, and share your insights. By embracing this continuous learning and reflective process, you'll nurture a strategic mindset that thrives in your daily work.

With over two decades of experience in the software engineering domain, at a senior leadership level, I have observed that strategic thinking is significantly enhanced by reflective practices. Regularly scrutinizing project outcomes, iterating over successful strategies, and critically analyzing shortcomings has been integral to fostering continuous improvement within my teams. Learning in a leadership role is also a collaborative journey. By tapping into collective experiences and knowledge, we leverage diverse insights. This culture of shared learning not only bolsters individual expertise but also reinforces our organizational acumen.

Indeed, strategic thinking is an ongoing journey. Regular reflection on outcomes helps us refine our approaches. Self-awareness about strengths and weaknesses is vital for personal growth. Learning from others and sharing best practices fosters a collaborative and innovative environment. Continuous improvement through observation and curiosity is the key to effective strategic thinking.

Regularly review what’s working and what’s not, and seek feedback from colleagues and mentors. Take time to analyze outcomes and understand how different decisions impact your goals. This reflective practice helps you identify patterns, adapt your strategies, and continuously improve your approach. By being proactive in learning from both successes and setbacks, you’ll sharpen your strategic thinking and make more informed decisions in your daily work.

Upon project completion, I always recommend conducting a post-mortem session. A neutral facilitator, ideally not the project manager, should lead the session and document key learnings from the project. This process involves celebrating accomplishments and identifying areas for improvement. It's crucial to retain and apply these insights to future projects to enhance performance and outcomes.

McKinsey's 3 horizons model fosters strategic thought. Horizon 1 are activities and outcomes to be delivered in the short-term, say 12 months (timeframes will differ by organisation and context). H2 builds on the first and may extend 12-24 months. H3 comprises strategic options, not all of which will come off. The trick with this model is working across the 3 horizons simultaneously - delivering H1, developing H2 and brainstorming H3. People have their own preferences as to which horizon they prefer and teams should have diversity in thinking - H1 doers, H2 business builders, H3 visionaries. In this way, the 3 horizons model can assist in people selection & the model is a powerful comms tool to show short-, medium- & long-term strategy.

Regularly look for problems leadership is running into that you can solve. Do stay aligned to your corporate strategy, use their language, metrics, and drive towards those common goals.

The new book "Strategists First: How to Defeat the Strategy Trap" originated from several years of research on what makes for a sound strategist. The book details the five core habits of a strategist. 1) Strategists lead time. Others manage it. 2) Strategists impose clarity. Others hope for it. 3) Strategists think in questions. Others idolize answers. 4) Strategists push upstream. Others camp down stream and only manage the symptoms. 5) Strategists see around corners. Others simply react to whatever comes next. In sum, strategists live by design, not by default.

To develop a strategic mindset, you need to: 1) Think outside the box 2) Keep questioning 3) Get some space and look up and out 4) Stay informed, be knowledgeable, keep on the front-foot 5) Have ideas 6) Assess those ideas strategically 7) Be ready for change 8) Have a thirst for knowledge and learning 9) Help others think strategically

I have always viewed things from a simplistic perspective. Everything has a starting point and, with time, has an end. Take an example of a holiday plan: one must first know the departure point and destination. What follows is "how", which depends on resources, capabilities, etc. The thought process allows a business leader to prioritise and focus on urgent matters over repetitive tasks.

Develop "adjacent knowledge" to develop a "V-shaped" experience profile. This means venturing into areas that are not totally different to your core expertise, but closely related and different. In this way you build a rich understanding of a field, which step-by-step develops into a strategic mindset that covers both a holistic integrative view as well as understanding the underlying details.

Few scenarios that help you sustain your strategic mindset are... 1. Surround yourself with atleast 20 percent of strategic thinkers who challenge the status quo (across generations age 20 to 70) 2. Gone are the days when a strategy created for 5 years is caste in stone. Develop the skill set to pick signals from noise in the market landscape and align your strategy with agility 3. Connect the dots by observing disruptions happening across industries to your line of business and boom - there lies the innovative idea to be unleashed Have you experienced these...

Being a strategist is an identity, not a skill. Think of the entrepreneur as a helpful analogy. Their goal isn't simply to think in entrepreneurial ways. Their aim is to BE an entrepreneur, always and in all ways. If you know any entrepreneurs, you know there's no off switch to their identity. They're always on call--building, improving, selling, scaling, etc. Being a strategist should be the same sense of vocational calling--you're always on call, always strategizing. If you want to learn more about the aims and ways of the strategist, check out the new book "Strategists First: How to Defeat the Strategy Trap."

Distinguish between *why* something matters; *how* addressing it will help you achieve your goals; and *what* action you are taking. *Why* What business problem or opportunity are you addressing? EG. Returns of our product have increased 25% vs. last year *How* Spell out the impact of solving the problem. Connect the dots between a barrier or opportunity; and the end result you want to see. EG. Reducing returns to last year's level will add ï¿¡X to our bottom line *What* Detail the action(s) you will take as a result of this. EG. Analysis of returned goods reveals a drop in product quality, which we can address by XYZ People often focus on the final 'what' stage instead of using a strategic mindset, limiting their chances of success.