What exactly is strategic thinking for BI? According Robert Kabacoff, Vice President of Research at Management Research Group, “Strategic leaders take a broad, long-range approach to problem-solving and decision-making that involves objective analysis, thinking ahead, and planning. That means being able to think in multiple time frames, identifying what they are trying to accomplish over time, and what has to happen now, in six months, in a year, in three years, to get there.” In a study of 10,000 senior executives, 97% selected strategic leadership as the most critical to their organizations’ future success.
http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/02/develop-strategic-thinkers-throughout-your-organization/
Makes sense. But wait, are we supposed to go push strategic thinking to everyone in the organization? Everyone should display “strategic leadership”, or is this reserved for the executive elite?
Do you want your organization to really get strategic?
STOP ASKING PEOPLE TO THINK STRATEGICALLY! ASK THEM TO MAKE THINGS BETTER!
Encourage everyone in your organization to think daily about how they can improve processes, tools and, most importantly, people’s lives, even just a little bit! By creating a culture where everyone considers how to make daily improvements, to help the organization, the clients, and the people they work with, the results will be strategic. People will take pride in their work, they will enjoy their environment and they will create amazing ideas that streamline processes and improve how you serve your clients.
Major goals aren’t accomplished suddenly. They are achieved by daily practice, discipline and the belief that it’s possible. Create an environment where people are motivated, to make their work place a little better, and watch what happens!
CASE IN POINT
Paul O'Neill, who became the CEO at Alcoa in 1987, helped push Alcoa's annual earnings from 20 cents per share in 1994 to $1.41 in 1999. He believed that a company is only as strong as its employees. O’Neill identified that Alcoa was having a problem with worker injuries. So from day one, he pushed to reduce accidents at the aluminum maker's factories. He challenged every employee to make the workplace a safer place, to think how things could be improved, and results were impressive.