I’ve spent quite a few planning cycles in the corporate world. More often than not, we faced the following sequence of events when it came to strategic planning:
- Senior executives had an idea they sought to validate.
- They brought in external strategic consultants who focused on packaging the concept into a pitch more than truly “validating” it.
- The “brilliant” idea was now part of the plan and to be executed.
- If it succeeded, the executives were the heroes.
- If it didn’t, they’d still save face and could blame it on the strategy consultant – at least up to a certain point.
Whatever the outcome, it often left middle managers and their teams with a bad taste in their mouths.
Why weren’t more internal ideas making their way up into the plan? Why always go to external strategic consultants?
Sounds familiar?
Then you know this interesting paradox. If you are a middle manager, no one knows the business better than you and your teams. Yet, you’re stuck in action mode, focusing more on execution than developing strategic thinking that would pave the way for a brighter future.
But how can you get out of that action mode trap and genuinely contribute to shaping your company’s future?
The answer is by spotting and nurturing strategic thinkers in your team.
Here are a few clues for you to identify strategic talent and get the best out of them:
Strategic thinkers ask – a lot of – probing questions.
Strategic thinkers beware of assumptions. They want to understand why certain situations happen and their context. They anticipate how one can avert issues the next time. To that end, they ask a lot of open-ended questions based on “what,” “how,” and “why.”
Strategic thinkers focus on helping others shine.
With the end goal in mind, strategic thinkers know how to leverage the collective effort. They understand others’ strengths and will do their best to help them bring their best work and reach their full potential.
Strategic thinkers don’t crack under pressure.
When the crunch times come, and most feel overwhelmed, strategic thinkers know how to compartmentalize activities. They discern the urgent from the important and stay focused on what has the best impact on the business.
Strategic thinkers take failure for what it truly is.
When faced with a failed initiative, strategic thinkers take the time to step back, reflect and dissect what happened. They genuinely learn from the experience and don’t waste time commiserating or beating themselves on mistakes.
So, you’ve spotted a few great strategic thinkers in your team. Now, what?
Make sure you create an environment where they can shine. Allow open dialog on the state of your initiatives, how to make them better, and which new ideas to pursue.
Also, ensure your strategic thinkers have proper exposure to senior executives and have their back when they naturally start asking probing questions. Not everyone will be comfortable with these at first, but that’s your best way to ensure progress.
Keep doing it, leave egos on the side, and you’ll soon have your executive team trusting and consulting more with your internal talent.
They might still leverage some external expertise and triangulate perspectives. Still, your strategic talent will be part of the solution and thank you for that.