What is Strategic Thinking?
Strategic thinking is the process leaders use to formulate, articulate, and communicate clear, concise and explicit strategies for achieving specific outcomes. It begins with asking if the right thing is being done within the context of the organization’s strategic direction (mandate, vision, mission, core values and goals and objectives (expectations)). Mandate is defined by answering the question “Why are we in business?” A well-articulated mandate defines the organization’s performance metrics. For example, the Red Cross’ mandate is to provide humanitarian services during emergencies. The right thing for the Red Cross, then, is helping people during emergencies, and we can determine if it doing this by looking at its record during disasters. Vision defines what the organization is striving to be and mission is the first actions that need to be accomplished for the vision to be realized. Core values provide the behavioral guidelines and expectations are the specific desired outcomes
