Here's how you can use strategic thinking to achieve long-term career success.

Define Goals Set clear and specific goals: Identify what you want to achieve in your career and define them in measurable and actionable terms. Align goals with values and aspirations: Ensure that your career goals are in line with your personal values and aspirations to maintain motivation and fulfillment. Break down goals into smaller steps: Divide your long-term goals into smaller, manageable steps to make them feel less daunting and easier to track progress.

years ago, I established a 5– 10 – 20–30 year plan. When I turned 26 that all went down the drain and for the next 5 years, I decided not to create a plan because my previous long-term plan had failed. Luckily, I had a mentor who helped me understand the value of creating long-term goals. A plan isn’t so you can follow it to the T. Life is always going to throw you curves. The purpose of long-term goals is to continuously course correct in the event that you find yourself astray from your path. In other words, how do you know if you’re lost if you never developed the sense of where you’re going? So set aside some time to think about what you want your life to look like and use that as the guard rails for your career.

A menudo me encuentro con mentorizados que quieren conseguir "cosas" sin tener mucho foco en qué realmente. Y para tener resultados, es importante tener foco y definir los objetivos a conseguir. Así que en función del escenario que tengas, es importante definir unos objetivos. Si estás empezando en algo, los objetivos deberán ser a más corto plazo pues es difícil tener un horizonte lejano. A medida que te vas consolidando, debes ser capaz de visualizar un horizonte mayor, definir objetivos más estratégicos y trazar un plan de trabajo revisable en periodos más cortos para tomar decisiones sobre los objetivos conseguiros.

The essence of strategic thinking is taking a big-picture, forward-looking view to chart the most optimal path to your goals. It requires stepping back from the day-to-day grind to gain clarity and perspective. With a well-designed strategy in place, you'll be far more likely to achieve your long-term career aspirations.

Last but not the least, ACT. Just knowing what to do and/or gathering skills is not enough. You would need to put the effort to execute.

In the fast-paced world, where skill assessment becomes a routine and trendy activity, I advocate for a deeper, more critical approach. By engaging in critical thinking, we challenge ourselves to not only update our skills because it is expected, but to genuinely evaluate which skills enhance our capability to improve our understanding and contribute more meaningfully. This thoughtful assessment ensures that our development is not just timely, but truly transformative and aligned with our values and long-term objectives for more peaceful, supportive and cooperating world.

Tools are a great way to assess your skills - Use the Strategic Thinking Skills Assessment and other self-assessment tools for a better understanding of your own strengths, weaknesses, and preferred modes of strategic thinking Get formal as well as informal feedback from mentors, peers, customers, and other stakeholders regarding your strategic thinking skills and the areas that require improvement. Implement a 360-degree feedback system to receive a multi-dimensional view of your strategic thinking skills from all corners. Reflect and measure the impact of your strategy and decision in real life towards business result.

Don’t just stay informed, share what you find with others. ???? Nicholas Cole and Dickie Bush talk about a type of writer who publishes on Twitter and LinkedIn about studies and articles other people have done. Simply digest the information, then turn it into a format that’s easier for other people to consume. Choose a specific niche to focus on, then publish your thoughts each day. That way you’re not just consuming new information to advance your career. You are publicly showing it and helping others as well. This can set the stage for long-term career advancement and grow your work along the way. You can apply the same strategy inside of Slack or MightyNetworks communities too.

Being informed is part of the game, but being informed and being able to combine information to form new insights shows a real understanding of the subject. Be sure to understand the underlying reason/goal/outcome/etc of trends in your industry and if you need some help, discuss those things with others to get their insights.

In the process of intelligence gathering, it is crucial to first clearly define and map the field of your inquiry. This initial step ensures that you understand the scope and specific areas. Then, you need to know your own positionality in this field (be it ontological and epistemological), followed by choosing methodologies and methods of data gathering that are unique to this field and your positionality within it. By following these steps, you're able to gather information that is not only relevant, but also meaningful, allowing you to make informed decisions based on accurate and targeted insights.

The role and definition of networking have drastically changed over the last decades, especially with the emergence of digital and AI tools. While traditionally viewed as the primary means for information gathering and exchange, today there are myriad opportunities that extend well beyond traditional networking to achieve similar objectives. Networking also presents several challenges, particularly for those in early career stages, such as the risk of being exploited, or having their contributions go unrecognised. Thus, while cautious networking can be beneficial, it's crucial to approach it with an ethical strategy that emphasises mutual respect and equitable exchange, safeguarding against exploitation.

The bottom line to a rewarding, long term career is strategic networking. Consider; 1. Identify your professional goals and the relationships that can help you achieve them. Identify who can provide introductions, knowledge, or opportunities to further your career. 2. Build and nurture mutually beneficial relationships, not just transactional ones. Be generous in sharing your knowledge and resources with your network. 3. Regularly reconnect with your existing network and look for ways to strengthen those connections, rather than letting them become dormant. 4. Use "power mapping" to strategically build relationships with people who influence key stakeholders you want to reach, rather than going directly to them.

Leverage your resources and support network. Don't try to execute your career strategy in isolation. Tap into mentors, coaches, colleagues and other connections who can provide guidance and assistance.

Building a network is essential for our long-term career success as it provides access to job opportunities, support, and advice. It enhances your professional visibility and reputation, offers exposure to new ideas and skills, and fosters continuous growth. Networking also facilitates collaborations, leading to innovative solutions and career advancements. By maintaining professional relationships, you gain valuable resources and opportunities, significantly contributing to your career success.

I think that networking is all about the long game. When you meet someone, you’re not doing so for an immediate return or immediate gratification; you are expanding your network to genuinely try to meet people whom you could help or who can help you get to where you want to be, that said you need to develop the relationship after that initial meeting. Someone will be more willing to help you if they know who you are, understand your frame of reference, and get a good sense of who you are. So, go out and network, but remember there’s more work to do after that first meeting.

Pensar no impacto a longo prazo versus ganhos imediatos: essa é uma decis?o estratégica essencial para o sucesso na carreira. Abrir m?o de eventuais vantagens e benefícios de curto prazo, em prol de uma carreira sólida e bem pavimentada, requer claridade e coragem. Aqui v?o algumas dicas para desenvolver esse pensamento estratégico, no contexto da sua carreira: -- Tenha sempre claras as suas metas e ambi??es principais, onde você quer estar em 5 a 10 anos. -- Avalie riscos vs benefícios, pesando se os ganhos mais imediatos valem a pena em detrimento da consistência com seus valores pessoais e suas metas. -- Confie no seu julgamento, pondere sem pressa, e consulte pessoas de sua confian?a, para poder ter mais de um ponto de vista.

One thing I have found helpful in my career is finding a balance between weighing out the pros and cons while also considering the speed in making a decision. Sometimes, I’ve missed opportunities due to my inability to decide. I say create a list, score the items on that list, and make a decision. We will make wrong decisions in our careers, but don’t let the lack of decisions work against you. If you make a terrible decision, you’ll learn from it, and you’ll make a better decision next time.

“What would you have to give up in order to achieve the life you pretend that you want?” I was at a conference in Boston. Elizabeth Gilbert was speaking. She said this from stage… a statement that changed her life. And when I heard it, it changed mine too. The word “pretend” is so precise. So many of us have goals… these ethereal dreams and visions. But what are we not willing to give up? Netflix? Weekend drinking? Bad habits? Self doubt? Set goals. But don’t forget that getting there can require sacrifice. And it’s the good type of sacrifice.

It is true, whether you like it or not, you will have to make some very uncomfortable decisions along your journey. I am not going to say that all of them will turn out to be good, as decisions tend to be relative and subjective in nature. So all you need to do is to choose the best possible choice in that situation. Now, how to find out that right choice? You will always find a voice, Deep down inside your heart. Sometimes it will be loud, sometimes it will just merely whisper, but it will be there at all times. Just listen to it, you will know what your heart wants and what is the better decision to take. Lastly, when you have analyzed situation and have made up your mind to take a decision, just take it, do not delay it.

Reflect regularly: Set aside time to review your progress towards your career goals, evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies, and make adjustments as needed. This will help you stay on track, remain motivated, and ensure that your efforts are aligned with your long-term career objectives.

Don't limit the 2030 version of you based on the you of today! You never know what you'll learn, how you'll develop and what will change in your beliefs. So stay open minded to the possibilities yet focused on the direction. You may just blow your own expectations out of the water!

We have to periodically assess our environment, our market and even ourselves to ensure our goals and strategy still make sense. Goals set 5 years ago may be completely outdated in today’s sense.

Es muy común ver a gente más joven teniendo ilusiones y sue?os con lo que quieren conseguir en sus carreras. Y con el tiempo, nos damos cuenta de que los caminos que se van generando nos van llevando hacia lugares donde ni siquiera contemplábamos. Por eso es importante contemplar distintos escenarios y tener un agile mindset, siendo flexible en la toma de decisiones en cada momento contemplando las variables más adecuadas y reconfigurar los objetivos en base a estas decisiones intermedias.

I’ve found the more you try to force your goals, the less likely you’ll achieve them. Sometimes just putting the right output into the world… then letting its own timing happen, can be less stressful. Life isn’t about you. It isn’t about me. I know a lot of people who tie self worth to achieving their goals… and I’ve been there too. The reality? Sometimes we’ve set the wrong goals. And they’ll simply never come to fruition. Learn to let go. Quickly. Move on. Set new goals. Try new things. And you’ll be better off in the long run. I call that wisdom.

My favourite strategy has always been Power Mapping. It’s like having a treasure map to navigate through the complexities of influence and relationships in any organization or community. 1. Spot the Players: List everyone involved, from decision-makers to cheerleaders and naysayers. 2. Gauge Influence: Figure out who holds the sway and how they're connected. 3. Connect the Dots: Draw lines to visualize those connections. 4. Find the Big Shots: Pinpoint those central hubs where power converges. 5. Craft Your Moves: Strategize how to engage effectively using your map. Stop guessing and chart a course to make real impact.

Taking a step back and tracking the small achievements that contribute to reach our goals is a healthy habit. Reaching the destination is the ultimate feat, but enjoying the road and learning from the bumps along the way are also key ingredients to the story. It’s all worth it at the end!

One way to equip yourself for the future role is to understand activities of the future role and how you can tap into your current skills to shape the skills required to perform those activities.

This has been the game changer to help with identifying key components of your career path with each success mapped out and physically marking each goal complete.

The most important thing about achieving success is not about the goals or the elevation of your dreams. It is about the "system" you are going to use to achieve that goal. Every runner at the start of the racing line has one goal, to win the race. Whatever happens in between makes the difference. So, dont spend most of your time "thinking" about your goals and dreams, rather build strong systems which will help you achieve that goal. Think about it this way, "What are a few things which, if I did, I would be able to achieve my goal in x amount of days?" and then just let t play out, let compounding do its job, you only focus on your "system", the score will take care of itself.