Getting From Here to There

Strategy - noun - "A plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim."

I love to think strategically. Perhaps it's a male thing going back to my caveman ancestors who puzzled over the best way to bring down a saber-toothed tiger or a cave bear, but I just love figuring out strategies for accomplishing things; always have.

What does it mean to strategize? To me it means to ponder alternative courses of action towards achieving some kind of goal and then to choose the best way get there. Of course the definition itself assumes a few things. First of all you need a goal; something or someone or somewhere that you want to attain or go or be. Second, the definition assumes that there are alternative courses of action you can take, and that you take the time to reason through them step-by-step to determine the best, or most feasible way to arrive at your chosen destination. Finally, of course, it assumes you're willing to be decisive; that once you make your decision you'll carry through with it - you'll execute.

Strategic thinking goes beyond this though. Real strategic thinking involves knowing more than the "how," it also involves knowing the "why." True strategic thinkers are always asking the "why" question. Fact is, it's the "why" that fuels the passion that drives the strategic thinker's engine. Plenty of people can figure out the "how," whether it involves planting a church, or opening a branch office of a business, winning a political race, or winning a battle on the battlefield. Strategic thinking of the highest order is always driven by the "why" question.

Strategic thinkers make the best leaders. In fact I would argue that to be a true leader you must be a strategic thinker. I love reading a book or watching a movie with a character in it that is a strategic-thinking leader. They're always questioning the assumptions that others make about situations; they're always thinking on an entirely different level than everyone else. I remember numerous episodes of Star Trek (for instance) where the logical thing to do in a situation (Mr. Spock), or the most obvious course of action ("Bones" McCoy) turned out to be the wrong thing. Instead it was Captain Kirk - thinking on a whole different level  than everyone else - that saves the day.

The lesson? Try thinking strategically. That means, first of all asking the "why" question, then having a goal, thinking through how to achieve that goal, choosing a course of action and then executing. You'll be surprised at what you can accomplish.