Ever looked at a job description that asks for ‘strategic thinking’ and wondered what that actually means? Or been told in a performance review that you could improve in the area of ‘being strategic’?
Strategic thinking skills are very valuable for developing your career. If you’re looking for a new role, then showing evidence of this is one of the factors that will make you more likely to get hired. So how do you develop these skills? Here’s how to be strategic at work.
What is strategic thinking?
Firstly, you more than likely do already think strategically on a daily basis. If you’ve ever worked out which tasks you can move around in order to meet a deadline, or how you can build more experience of something to get a new job or promotion, then you will have made a strategic decision. But when people talk about being strategic specifically, what they really mean is applying this logic to the bigger picture and the longer term.
When you first learn how to do a job, what you’re learning is the tactics or the ‘how’ to achieve something, but being strategic is more about the ‘what’ you need to achieve and ‘why’. When you first start out in a role, particularly early in your career, you’re usually acting on plans and decisions that someone else has made, but if you’re being strategic then you’re deciding what you need to achieve, and planning how to do it, yourself.
Think of it like choosing the best destination and drawing a map of how to get there. But not only is it about finding the best route, but also exploring the advantages and disadvantages of all the alternative routes.
How to be strategic at work
Clear some space in your diary
Whether you’re in an busy operational role and are bogged down with ‘doing’ all day or you’re a manager who finds themselves constantly fire-fighting with little time to actually move things forward, the first thing you’ll need to do is make some time.
You’ll need some headspace, so you can start thinking beyond the day-to-day and about the bigger picture. This can be tricky to get, especially at a charity, but without this space it’s very difficult to get into the mindset of thinking strategically, so it’s the most important step.
Delegate as much as you can, try to reduce the number of meetings you go to. Try different time management techniques. Identify the tasks that have the least value and cross them off your list. Book an away day (or just a couple of hours) with yourself. Do whatever you need to do to really get your mind to focus. And don’t feel guilty about the time away from your to-do list. It doesn’t mean you aren’t being productive and this work is potentially even more valuable.
Think about the bigger picture
Start by thinking about how your role fits into the overall vision, mission and objectives of your organisation. If you’re not sure then find out more about what it’s trying to achieve—read your charity’s strategy and ask for more information if you need it. Then think about how you could better align the two.
Where are you now? Where does your role, or the things you’re responsible for, need to be in a year, or three years’ time to move the organisation’s mission forwards? How could you get there? Remember that, especially in charities, you’re working with limited resources and you can’t do everything. So ask yourself what’s really valuable for your charity to do and for you personally to spend your time on.
Try to connect your ideas with people and existing plans and to anticipate any problems, challenges or obstacles that may come up.
Get support and insight from others
Seek out advice and opinions on your work and ideas from colleagues at all levels. This is really valuable for their insight and feedback and to hear different viewpoints. Your ideas won’t always be right, or the best solution, and considering other angles can help your thinking to develop in the right direction.
If there’s organisational planning going on at a higher level, then ask your manager if you can be involved in it in some way, even if it’s just discussing it with them in your next 1:1. As well as increasing your ability to be strategic, this will also help to boost your profile at work.
Continue to develop professionally
To be strategic, you need to keep learning. So it’s important to upskill yourself and learn as much as you can about your particular specialism and how this fits into the bigger picture. Depending on the stage of your career, you could do this through reading books and blogs, listening to podcasts, finding a mentor or joining a professional networking group (try CharityConnect as a good starting point). This will also give you access to even more different points of view to develop your thinking.
Be prepared for trial and error
To really be strategic you need to think differently and experiment with new ideas. This means embracing change and being willing to try something new and take risks—but don’t be reckless. Consider all the pros and cons and how you could mitigate what could go wrong before you make a move.
Adopt a solutions-focused approach and don’t be afraid to make mistakes or fail. Only then can you really move forwards.
Remember that strategic thinking isn’t something you either can or can’t do. And, although it does get scaled up the higher you climb the ladder, neither is it something that can only be done at a certain level of your career. Being strategic is about how you think rather than what you think. It’s a skill that can be honed the more you practice it.
Ready to put your strategic thinking skills into practice? Search for a new charity role.
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