We are often asked the question what is the end result of applying strategy on a day to day basis. Through extensive research and development, we have discovered that great strategic thinkers in any job or at any level learn how to nurture these skills. They avoid being seduced and succumbing to the activity addiction. Good strategic thinkers develop their skills by practicing and hunting “small game” such as projects, assignments, and team issues. Later, many assume key corporate positions or become political leaders or military strategists on a much larger scale.

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Igniting The Strategic Spark In Others

If the whole purpose of leadership is to leverage talent and achieve results through the efforts of others, then leaders have a very special stewardship when it comes to igniting the strategic spark in others. Leaders who understand the essence of this part of leadership have a golden opportunity to mine strategic ideas and capitalize on strategic actions of others. All it takes is a willingness to teach and motivate others about how to think and operate strategically. This in turn creates an organization that is prepared and ready to seize opportunities and head off catastrophes, which translates into better operating results down the road. But there is a tradeoff; it does require an upfront investment, discipline, and a skill set that unfortunately are foreign to some leaders.

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Okay business people, I am going to step away from the normal focus on work and talk a little bit about my previous experience as a college football athlete and the way I was introduced to strategic formulation.

When I played high school football, my team had a lackluster win-loss record, but I still have dreams about how we could have been a lot better had our coaches implemented more strategic formulation and planning to prepare us for our competition each week. I also think it would have been beneficial if they could have spent more time teaching us how to be more strategic about the mental part of the game, versus just the physical part of the game.

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This is a 2 part series. Go here for part 1: Strategic Planning is For Small Businesses Too - Part 1

If you’re a small business working toward a strategic plan and you commit it all to paper in a short two to five page plan, so much the better! You just moved ahead of many of your competitors. Invite your strongest employees to respond to your strategic issues, concerns and get them involved so they feel some ownership in this simple process. Have a strategy adaptation meeting with all hands twice a year for a couple of hours to clarify the direction, make adjustments and respond to questions.

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This is a 2 part series. Go here for part 2: Strategic Planning is For Small Businesses Too - Part 2

Too many people falsely believe that strategic thinking, formulation and implementation is only for the big outfits…you know, the Toyotas, Microsofts, Honeywells, Nokias, and the Exxon Mobils. Our experience, working closely with people from all walks of life and from all sizes of organization, suggest the opposite is true — smaller organizations need to be more devoted to strategic thought and action as much or more than the big players out there.

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Have you seen the recent Arby’s restaurant advertisements where people are distracted from their activities because they are thinking about eating at Arby’s? I have always been entertained by these clever ads and recently got a good laugh out of the one featuring two boat drivers who run their water ski team into a ski ramp because they were thinking about food instead of being focused on driving the boat and watching the skiing team.

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A strategic leader is good at developing and executing strategy, while a truly great strategic leader is able to inspire and guide their team members at thinking strategically about their own roles and responsibilities. Typically, we think of team members as the people who primarily execute tactical operations and complete pre-determined tasks and assignments. Yet, imagine what your team could accomplish if team members were not only fulfilling their operational responsibilities, but also be strategic within their own areas of contribution. I believe that some excellent strategic leaders may be operating under the notion that strategic thinking and planning is only for them to do. But, I believe that if everyone in the organization was thinking and acting strategically within their own roles and responsibilities—the results would be striking. Here are a few ideas that might help you lead and guide your team members into a mindset of strategic leadership:

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The notable author Peter Drucker said, “No executive has ever suffered because his subordinates were strong and effective.” I firmly believe that this is true and one of the ways I have tried to get my team members to be stronger and more effective is creating the expectation that they too need to operate in a strategic way. I have found great success in not only being focused on executing strategy, but also in leading others to be more strategic about their individual roles. Strategy and leadership must go hand in hand at all levels.

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Some businesses have a brand worth billions of dollars, others are worth very little. What is yours worth? Regardless, a brand is invaluable asset that every organization needs to take seriously and branding is easier that you think. By applying a good image, name, and a little effort, you have just moved yourself ahead of much of your competition.

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A wise person once said: “Nothing is constant except for change; it is the only constant we can count on.” If the statement is so true and accepted as such, why is change so difficult to deal with, anticipate, and plan for? If it’s such a certainty, then why does it always catch us off guard and upset or ruin our plans?

Recently, while on vacation (yes, a beautiful beach), one of my projects experienced a big change of plans (yes, while I was on the beach). This involved an event with a large number of clients in Canada. Fortunately, I work with a wonderful team of individuals who stepped up to the plate and made the necessary modifications to allow for a successful event, regardless of all the last minute changes.

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