Intheresearch I didonstrategicthinking, I identifiedsixkeymentaldisciplinesthatunderlieyourabilitytorecognize, prioritize, andmobilize. Patternrecognitionis a foundationaldisciplineofstrategicthinking.
Theabilitytofindthesignal, theimportantinformation, inwhatcanbe a seaofnoise.
Buttheydocapturethemostimportantfeaturesoftheoverallclimatesystemin a waythatletsyoumakegoodpredictions. Asyoufocusonthedisciplineofmentalagility, it's importanttounderstandthisideaoflevelshifting.
There's a CEO I workwithwhodescribesthisascloud-to-groundthinking, theabilitytomovefrom a high-levelperspectivetobeinthecloudstoseethebigpictureofwhat's goingon, butalsotodrilldownintothedetailwhennecessary.
Thegreatstrategicthinkers I knowareabletomovebetweenthoselevelsofanalysisanddosofluidlyandalsointentionally. Structuredproblemsolvingiswhatyoudowithteamstohelpthemengageinrigorousprocessesofframingandsolvingthemostconsequentialproblemsthattheorganizationfaces.
Thestructuredpartisreallyessentialbecauseitensuresthatyou'redoing a goodjoboftrulysolvingtherightproblem.
That's theframingpart.
Andthengeneratingandtestingtherightoptionssothatyouendupwith a robustsolution.
Andif I haveChristianandStephanieonboard, thengettingRobertonboardisgoingtobeeasier.
And I needtobecarefulintheprocessnottooverplaythingsin a waythatcausesTrudytofeelthreatenedbywhat I'm tryingtodoandstarttodothingstomobilizepotentialopposition.
Justthinkaboutthisprocessofmovingpeoplestep-by-stepto a placethattheywouldn't havegonein a singleleap. Thepeoplemakingthedecisionsaboutleaders' futuresaremoreandmoreweightingtheimportanceofstrategicthinkingcapabilityintheirdecisionsaboutwhetheryouwilladvanceornot.