Loud Thinking April 04, 2014 at 01:07PM

Strategic Thinkers Ask “Why” and “When”

Encouraging routine strategic thinking may be the most important thing you can do as a leader. It’s not an easy skill to teach or learn, because it is as much a mindset as a set of techniques – but it’s not impossible. Consider these ways to cultivate strategic thinkers (since they often make the most highly effective leaders):
Encourage people to ask “why” and “when.” Consistently asking these whenever a course of action is being considered enables people to fully understand the goal it aims to achieve and its impact.
Have managers set aside time for strategic planning. Make it a regular part of their job, and connect them with mentors who excel at strategic thinking.
Keep people informed on what is happening in your organization and in your industry. This will help elevate their thinking beyond the day-to-day.

Adapted by HBR from “ Develop Strategic Thinkers Throughout Your Organization” by Robert Kabacoff.

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