“How to Think Strategically is without question one of the most useful books I have read. Greg talks you through the big skills and microskills of strategic thinking. He guides you toward sharpness of thought, and away from the dull and dumb. For business or your personal life, you’ll find Greg leading you on a journey of well-organized thought orientations and approaches. The book is a must-read for all who wish to build their skills and expand their views beyond just creative, critical, and systems thinking.
— Paul O’Connor, President and CEO, The Adept Group
“A great strategist needs great strategic thinking skills. How to Think Strategically gets the job done. It provides all the necessary tools and insight to help you become an influential strategic thinker. A great read!”
— Jeroen De Flander, strategist and bestselling author of Strategy Execution Heroes and The Execution Shortcut
“In a world focused on data analytics, financial models, and ROI, the human dimension of strategic planning can be subordinated or overlooked. Githens’ How to Think Strategically elevates the role of personal leadership and virtues in the process for wise choices, buy-in, and execution. The trait of commitment and the microskill of courage, for example, are indispensable for making hard decisions in uncertain times. Attention to this human dimension empowers complex organizations for effective planning and success.”
— Gregory P. Crawford, professor of physics and university president
“How to Think Strategically will enlighten leaders throughout the organization. Githens stresses the power of an individual to find and make sense of weak signals and use them to create powerful insights. His methodology is refreshingly effective in building a coherent path to learn and enhance specific capabilities to become an effective and influential strategic thinker. It is a must read for any leader wanting to enhance their strategic thinking skills.
— Bill Blackmore, board member of five companies, retired CEO, business owner
“Get your hands on this book as soon as possible! It’s practical. It’s insightful. It’s accessible to all. Githens has the courage and experience to dismantle strategy and challenge long-held orthodoxies. I plan to keep this book nearby for years to come!”
— Mazy Gillis, Ph.D., Vice President Global Human Resources
“I’ve held the positions of Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operations Officer for the same company, so Greg’s outline of the two thinking maps for strategy and operations particularly resonated with me. Both are critically important to the success of an organization, but it’s equally important that you know which area you are in and not confuse the two. It would be detrimental for both strategy and operations. Furthermore, Greg’s portrayal of ambiguity as a critical component of strategy development was eye-opening and truly the embodiment of what strategic thinking is all about, rather than the rush to create a strategy (as it is many times inappropriately labeled). Well done!”
— Vincent P. DiPofi, PE, Chief Operating Officer, SSOE Group
“Greg Githens’ approach to strategic thinking offers a wealth of practical advice for the most seasoned strategist about how to reason more clearly and with greater self-awareness about the often murky and discontinuous world in which we live. Githens is such a crisp and direct writer that his insights sound like common sense you’ve known all your life, but don’t be fooled: Nuanced and usefully counterintuitive insights are there in abundance for the careful reader. Soak in recommendations to learn, for instance, the ‘micro skill of conceptual mapping’ or how to ‘devalorize’ management orthodoxies in order to better understand them. While the ultimate target of strategy itself is the organization, the value of this book lies in the effort to empower individuals – that is, each of us – to be braver, more exploratory, and more confident in initiating change when it is often a fearful and daunting task.”
— Amy Zaltman, Ph.D., CEO, Prescient (formerly the Strategic Narrative Institute)
HOW TO THINK STRATEGICALLY
HOW TO THINK STRATEGICALLY
Sharpen Your Mind Develop Your Competency Contribute to Success
Greg Githens
MAVEN HOUSE
Published by Maven House Press, 4 Snead Ct., Palmyra, VA 22963; 610.883.7988; www.mavenhousepress.com; [email protected]
Special discounts on bulk quantities of Maven House Press books are available to corporations, professional associations, and other organizations. For details contact the publisher.
Copyright 2019 by Greg Githens. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without either the prior permission of the publisher or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923; 978.750.8400; fax 978.646.8600; or on the web at www.copyright.com.
While this publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered, it is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. — From the Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
Quotes from pp. 2, 46, 57, 61, 107, 115, 119, 121, 123, 127, 129–130, 153, 175, 212, 214, 223, and 257 from Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance?: Inside IBM’s Historic Turnaround by Louis V. Gerstner. Copyright © 2002 by Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018967236
Paperback ISBN: 9781938548901
E-book ISBN: 9781938548918
Printed in the United States of America.
CONTENTS
Part I: The Nature, Purpose, and Scope of Strategic Thinking
Chapter 4: Twelve Microskills of Strategic Thinking