What Strategic/Conceptual Thinking “is”:
Big picture, conceptual, strategic thinking is NOT knowing Porter’s 5 Forces. It’s not having an MBA, and it’s not being invited to a strategic meeting. It’s not industry expertise, ESP, or diligent work ethic, either. Strategic thinking is thinking on a conceptual plane, and the number of people who can actually do it is reasonably small.
Strategic thinkers can see things that aren’t there… yet. They can envision a different world from the one that exists, based on extrapolation as opposed to pure imagination.
If I differentiate strategic thinking from conceptual thinking, it’s to distinguish those who can merely think the big thoughts from those who can also see how to implement them.
How to spot Strategic Thinking ability in others:
Some clues that the person you’re working with has significant conceptual abilities:
-They invent original metaphors and analogies (not cliches)
-They have broad vocabularies
-They can draw connections between different disciplines (e.g., they can use marketing principles to explain an operational issue)
-They read avidly (note: lack of reading does not suggest a lack of conceptual ability)
-They engage actively in creative arts such as writing, painting, or playing a musical instrument
-They can put a picture in your head when they talk
-They generally—not always, but generally—”get it” first.
Within a reasonable range, strategic thinking ability has no impact on personality; smart people can be just as nice, rude, surly or happy as anyone else. Interestingly, from an ethical perspective, I find that very smart people tend to seem a bit more risky than the average Joe… not because they are less ethical, but because their broader perspective allows them to see connections that are not immediately clear to everyone else.
How to develop your own Strategic Thinking:
Conceptual thinkers don’t always “get it.” Similarly, more concrete thinkers sometimes do. Being “average” does not meant that you never think the big thoughts… it means that you usually don’t “get it” as quickly or as holistically as others.
A great way to advance your conceptual abilities is to READ. Not business books that spoon feed answers, but novels. Search for leadership books on my blog, and you’ll get a list that includes The Count of Monte Cristo and The Killer Angels. Figure out what these books have to do with business, and you’ll be working out your conceptual abilities. Even better, you’ll be enjoying yourself!
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Great post. I think it is the boundry spanning (cross discipline exploration) that develops the best strategic thinkers.