Marcia's Leadership Q and A's: Do You Lead or Just Maintain?

Q. What can leaders do if they discover that strategic thinking isn’t their strong suit (they don’t think strategically)?

A. Not all leaders are great leaders. Some executives or managers have titles and positions, but don’t lead well. What the world and organizations need are strategic and operational leaders working together and supporting each other toward their goals and future. 

First, leaders need to be self-aware of their strengths, areas they commit to improve, and areas they have little affinity, interest or knowledge in. They can delegate or collaborate with their colleagues.

Second, when leaders understand themselves, they can contribute their best, hire the people with the knowledge the organization needs, and develop diversity of all kinds in the organization. They surround themselves with a team that can deliver the needed results together. 

Third, the great leaders have a coach to ask them questions and to help them see blind spots and what new thinking they need to develop. 

Fourth, there are options. It’s a key possibility that some non-strategic thinkers can develop more strategic thinking by having a coach, mentor, or close strategic thinking colleague. They learn to think more strategically over time. But if the company is scaling rapidly, it may be wise for a more strategic thinker to lead into the future. An operational thinker take a more meaningful position for that mindset to implement the strategies developed by the team. Much of this answer depends on various other possibilities. Bottom line: assess what is needed to envision and move toward your future together. Gather the team to collaborate toward that; no one person has all of the answers.