At some point in your career there's a good chance someone will tell you that you need to be more strategic. Whether they can actually articulate what they mean is another matter
If you've been given that feedback but you're not sure where to start, this week's episode breaks down how to demonstrate to others that you have the ability to think strategically
Key points from this episode
- Defining 'being strategic' - the difference between strategic thinking and strategic planning
- Working out whether you need to develop your strategic thinking ability, demonstrate it better or a bit of both
- Practical strategies to better demonstrate the strategic thinking ability you already have
Related Episode
What to do when you're told to be more strategic
Useful Links
Connect with Pam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelalangancoaching/
Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-jagger/
Follow the Catalyst Careers LinkedIn page for career tips and advice
Interested in working with us?
Get in touch about career or leadership development, outplacement workshops or recruitment support via the Catalyst Careers website
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Transcript
Hello and welcome to this week's episode.
2
:Today we are sharing five ways that
you can demonstrate strategic thinking.
3
:And the reason we've decided to do
this is because we know that lots of
4
:our clients and lots of our listeners
will be told that they need to be
5
:more strategic or they need to think
more strategic within their roles.
6
:So what we wanted to do is give you
five ways that you can demonstrate that.
7
:And if this is something that you
know, you need to work on, then this
8
:is going to be brilliant for you.
9
:And if this is something that you're
thinking I already know how to do it.
10
:I just need to demonstrate it
a lot more in the workplace.
11
:Then this is definitely for you too.
12
:So Jackie.
13
:get us started on this because we
know this comes up a lot, doesn't it?
14
:And we get a lot of messages
about this and we speak to
15
:lots of clients about this.
16
:So where do we start?
17
:Jacqui: So I think the first place
to start is this happens a lot.
18
:So first of all, don't worry if you are
told that you need to be more strategic.
19
:It is feedback that pretty much
every senior leader will have had
20
:at some point in their career.
21
:And it often comes up at the time
where you were making that step from
22
:manager level up to a leader level role.
23
:And people are terrible at being able to
give you hints or tips or specifics around
24
:what does be more strategic actually mean.
25
:So we're going to define
what we mean by it.
26
:And we're going to talk about
when you need to demonstrate it
27
:versus when you need to develop it.
28
:We'll share those tips on how to
demonstrate the ability you already
29
:have, because for most people,
once they hear the definitions and
30
:distinctions, they recognize that they
probably have more of that capability
31
:than they might be demonstrating.
32
:Pam: Yeah.
33
:And that's the thing, isn't it?
34
:With strategic thinking or being
more strategic, when you get that
35
:feedback often, you don't really
know what to do with that feedback.
36
:Do you, it's the person delivering
that feedback obviously knows, but if
37
:you're not sure, and you've not been
able to ask them or unpack it with
38
:them, then if they're giving you that
feedback, then it's good for you to start
39
:thinking, okay what do I need to do?
40
:Okay, so some of the definitions
then relating to strategic thinking.
41
:Where was we start with the definitions?
42
:Jacqui: So I define these as strategic
thinking is the first part of the process.
43
:You've got strategic thinking
and strategic planning.
44
:And those are the things that happen
before you take action that guide and
45
:direct what action you might take.
46
:So strategic is about being able
to achieve the goals that you
47
:want to achieve with the resources
that are available to you.
48
:And the thinking piece is
considering different options,
49
:ideas, potential solutions, and
being able to weigh those up.
50
:And then the plan is about taking that
thinking and almost building a bridge
51
:between that and the action taking.
52
:So it's putting that together cohesively
and the planning is not something
53
:that you do once and that's it.
54
:Strategic planning is
something that gets refined.
55
:So for me, strategic often means
longer range, it often means
56
:considering different perspectives,
the classic example is big picture
57
:thinking is strategic, but again,
that's not really specific enough
58
:to be able to do much with it.
59
:It's core.
60
:It's about being able to consider how
do I get the results that I need with
61
:the resources that are available to me?
62
:And how do I consider different
alternatives and different ways
63
:to go about it that I might
then want to put into my plan?
64
:Pam: Yeah, and I think that's a
great way to break it down there
65
:because there is that real kind
of fear around I feel around being
66
:strategic because what do I need to do?
67
:How much detail do I need to go into?
68
:And actually, is it about the detail or is
it more about the bigger picture thinking?
69
:But if you're not sure where to go with
it, you can get yourself tied up in so
70
:many knots around what it is and it isn't.
71
:So I think that is brilliant that
you've broken it down there and you
72
:can see the difference in the thinking
and the planning aspects around that.
73
:Okay then, so in terms of developing
strategic thinking or demonstrating
74
:strategic thinking, obviously there's a
difference there as well, isn't there?
75
:Depending on where you're
up to in your career.
76
:So what is the difference?
77
:Jacqui: This is a great question
for people to ask themselves because
78
:before you can demonstrate it, before
you can get other people to perceive
79
:you as being more strategic, you need
to know whether or not it's simply
80
:a case of showing the capability you
already have or whether it's actually
81
:something that you need to develop.
82
:So there are some questions that you
can ask yourself to think, is this
83
:an area that I need to develop in?
84
:So do you find it easy to link short
term actions to long term goals?
85
:Do you tend to naturally see
longer range, bigger opportunities?
86
:Do you tend to foresee obstacles and have
contingency plans that are associated
87
:with those, or do you tend to be quite
in the here and now and the day to day
88
:and all of that operational firefighting?
89
:Do you naturally weigh up risks?
90
:Do you naturally see patterns in data?
91
:Do you naturally have that ability
to take a calculated risk and accept
92
:that things may not always work out,
or do you find that quite difficult?
93
:And if you're listening to that and
recognizing that you need to develop your
94
:strategic ability, that's totally fine.
95
:We've got another episode that we
can link to in the show notes that
96
:will have some hints with that.
97
:The thing that we're talking
about here is more where you're
98
:listening to those questions and
thinking yeah, I can do that.
99
:I know I can do that, but other
people are still telling me that
100
:I need to be more strategic.
101
:That's the time where you're looking
at how are people perceiving you
102
:and how do you shape that perception
by demonstrating more of that
103
:capability that you already have.
104
:Pam: Yeah, and I think
that's the key, isn't it?
105
:So I suppose if we look at the
five ways that we can demonstrate
106
:or our listeners can demonstrate
that the strategic thinkers.
107
:What would be number one for you?
108
:Jacqui: Number one is one that we
have talked about numerous times in
109
:different episodes on the podcast.
110
:This is block off strategic thinking time
and protect it, ruthlessly protect it.
111
:Because a big part of why you may not
come across as having the strategic
112
:capacity that you know you have is because
people see more of that operational,
113
:the day to day, they see you as a
troubleshooter, they see you as a fixer,
114
:you can handle whatever's thrown at
them, but they're not seeing you perhaps
115
:bring some of that bigger thinking
into the conversations that you have.
116
:So you cannot expect that you
will have these amazing strategic
117
:thoughts at the same time as
you are doing the firefighting.
118
:You've got to create that time
and that capacity for yourself.
119
:And this comes again, what we've talked
about before, to what environment do
120
:you do your best thinking is often
very different to the environment
121
:where you do your best doing.
122
:So you will often do better thinking
in a quieter environment, in a more
123
:creative environment away from the day
to day role than you will either in an
124
:office or working from home with 17 tabs
on your browser and a team's meeting
125
:that you've got to get to in 20 minutes.
126
:Pam: Yeah, and I think that is one
of the things that I found within
127
:my own career that really helped me
blocking off that strategy time, but
128
:also doing it at a time where I knew
I could really dedicate some thought
129
:to that time as well, because Yeah.
130
:If I plan that in, for example, on
a Monday morning, when everything's
131
:go there's absolutely no chance that
I'm going to get any thinking done.
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:People are going to be coming to my desk.
133
:People are going to be
knocking on the office door.
134
:Do you know, there's going to be
a whole range of things going on.
135
:So what I used to do is block off
the whole of Friday afternoon.
136
:And that was my strategic thinking
time, because I knew there
137
:Friday afternoons were quieter.
138
:I knew that I could then go for lunch
and then ease into that time so that
139
:I wasn't just kinds of going from
one task straight into that, because
140
:I knew that didn't work for me, that
wouldn't help me to think, or, to come
141
:up with ideas and things like that.
142
:So I would get everything else out
of the way on Friday morning, go for
143
:lunch, and then go into that strategic
thinking time, which was really helpful.
144
:really useful.
145
:And I would get lots and lots
of stuff done during that time.
146
:Lots of thinking, loads of
ideas, get it all documented.
147
:And then I was able to then run with
it the following week or put it into
148
:whatever plan it needed to go into.
149
:And I think that worked
really well for me.
150
:And that's what I also advise my clients
to do, to pick the time that is going
151
:to work best for them rather than just
shoehorning it into your calendar.
152
:It's like really thinking about energy
levels and times when you know it
153
:will be quieter in the office or you
can take yourself off and you won't
154
:have loads of people looking for
you because it's a real busy time.
155
:It's just thinking about that as
well, and almost being strategic
156
:around that strategic thinking time.
157
:Jacqui: It really is.
158
:I think another thing that really helped
me was to prepare for that time by
159
:almost creating myself a thinking agenda.
160
:I would put things that I needed to give
some deeper thought to, I would put that
161
:almost as an agenda for myself because
otherwise I think it can be quite weird.
162
:I used to do it where I would
work from home just on a day a
163
:week, a day, a fortnight, a long
time before hybrid was a thing.
164
:And I used to find that if I.
165
:just work from home without having a
specific agenda or things, problems that I
166
:wanted to solve or things that I wanted to
give thought to, then I fell back into the
167
:habits of answering emails, taking phone
calls, doing all of those other things.
168
:But when I came through the week
and thought, Oh, I need to give
169
:some proper thought to that.
170
:If I wrote those things into that
agenda for myself, then when I came
171
:to the day, I might have three, four,
five things that I wanted to be able
172
:to think about or ponder or research,
and that then gave me the structure
173
:for how to use the time when I had it.
174
:I think that's really important because
otherwise if you just work in a different
175
:environment and haven't prepared and
don't have those problems that you want
176
:to solve or projects that you want to
kick off or things that you want to do
177
:some thinking about, then the risk is that
you've just changed your environment, but
178
:you haven't changed your actual routine.
179
:Pam: Yeah, and I totally agree with
that and one of the things that I also
180
:did was had a section in my planner
where I would write down those things
181
:because sometimes they come in and
they can go straight back out your
182
:brain and you'll forget about them.
183
:And having that almost that list or
that agenda on what you're going to
184
:cover in that section of the week.
185
:And I used to.
186
:When things used to come to me, I
used to think, is this a Friday task?
187
:Is this my strategy time task?
188
:And then I would add it to the list.
189
:And then when that time comes
around, it is so much easier to
190
:have something to work through.
191
:And I actually still do that now.
192
:And it works really
well in my business too.
193
:What is number two then?
194
:What is the second thing
that people can think about?
195
:Jacqui: Number two is being
the person to zoom out.
196
:And what I mean by that is when you're
in a meeting, the number of times that
197
:a discussion can be very bogged down in
tactics, in what are we going to do This
198
:week or what comes next or pros and cons
that can become about personal opinion.
199
:If you are the person to zoom
out, what that means is you remind
200
:people to connect the here and
now with the longer term vision.
201
:So it might be talking about what's this
in aid of what problem are we trying to
202
:solve so that I can give my perspective on
which I think how they weigh up, remind me
203
:what problem are we trying to solve here?
204
:If we zoom out and look at the
objectives that we've got as a
205
:function or as a department or as a
business, how does this fit into that?
206
:So you become the person that
reminds other people not to get
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:blinkers and short range vision.
208
:And you become the person completely
reminds other people of the Of this longer
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:timeframe of the bigger picture of the
goals and objectives that these day to
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:day resources are being directed towards.
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:Pam: Yeah, definitely.
212
:And I think as you said zoom out,
I was thinking zone out, especially
213
:depending on the meeting that you're in.
214
:But that's a podcast for another
day, but in terms of zooming out,
215
:I do think that is something that
really makes you stand out as well.
216
:Within those meetings as somebody
who is strategic, somebody that's
217
:not going to get mixed up in all
of that lower level tactical stuff,
218
:because that's not what the focus is.
219
:And I think when you're in a
meeting with somebody that has the
220
:ability to really zoom out and go
what are we actually focusing on?
221
:What is the purpose of what
we're trying to achieve?
222
:It really does stand out.
223
:And I think that also links in with
personal branding as well, because if you
224
:can be the person that can really zoom
out and show that you are that strategic
225
:thinker, then I think that ties in really
nicely with your personal brand and
226
:how you're coming across as the senior
leader or as a leader who was trying
227
:to progress within that organization.
228
:Jacqui: It adds so much value.
229
:It really does because it is so easy for
people to get caught up in the day to day.
230
:If you're in marketing and people
are debating, should you be on
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:Facebook or should you be on TikTok?
232
:The point is, Who knows, because what
goal is it we're trying to achieve?
233
:What problem are we trying to solve?
234
:What is this campaign in aid of?
235
:You need that longer range.
236
:You need that bigger picture to know
the answer to some of these things.
237
:So it can add value and it can
also ease frustration because your
238
:temptation, if you keep that strategic
thought inside your head, you
239
:might know, this is the reason why.
240
:But you just get caught up in that
discussion or debate about pros and
241
:cons of one approach versus another.
242
:If you're that person that zooms out,
what you do is get other people directed
243
:back to the reason why you have the stance
that you do and why you're proposing
244
:the solutions that you're proposing.
245
:So it helps to add value to the business
and it helps to bring people back to
246
:the understanding of why what you're
proposing makes sense in that context.
247
:Pam: Yeah, there's so much
behind that, isn't there?
248
:There's so much in almost developing that.
249
:As a skill yourself, it's something
that you do need to practice because
250
:it is easy to get sucked in, isn't it?
251
:We've all been in those meetings and you
get sucked in and next minute, time's up
252
:or the meetings gone over or people are
getting frustrated within that meeting.
253
:And I think it's a real skill
that you can start to develop.
254
:I don't think it's something
that just, can come naturally.
255
:So maybe it can to some people, but I
do think it's something that you need
256
:to really start thinking, I am going
to do this and start using it and start
257
:practicing it to make it feel more
natural as an approach for yourself.
258
:Jacqui: Yeah, definitely becomes
more natural the more you do it.
259
:Pam: Okay, so number three
then what is the third tip?
260
:Jacqui: I love this one.
261
:This hit hard for me when I first
heard it, and it's be fixed on your
262
:goals and flexible on your approach.
263
:And so often we get this arse about
face and we get really tied into
264
:doing the things in the order.
265
:We've got a plan.
266
:We're going to do this and do this
and people get fixed on the methods
267
:and on the approach and lose sight.
268
:So it really follows on from
what we were just talking about.
269
:But the point with strategy
and with strategic planning.
270
:Like I said earlier, it's
not that it's something that
271
:you do it once and that's it.
272
:Things will change.
273
:New information will come to light.
274
:A plan can only be as good as it can
be at the point that you create it
275
:with the information that's available
and known to you at that time.
276
:And if you are someone who is continually
learning, continually developing,
277
:continually taking on board feedback
and new data, of course, over time,
278
:some of that will create the situation
where that plan needs to change.
279
:So it's about that constant reminder that
the goal and the outcome is the bit that
280
:is fixed, but you have to be adaptive.
281
:You have to be willing to flex and to
shift and to adopt that willingness
282
:to shift in the context of, based
on what we know now, this is the
283
:best way to get from here to there.
284
:Pam: Yeah, and I think
that's key, isn't it?
285
:And I absolutely love that,
that you're fixed on the goal
286
:but flexible on the approach.
287
:Because we all get tied up,
don't we, in, in that detail.
288
:And it's good to have that
as almost a motto, isn't it?
289
:We're fixed on the goal but
we're flexible on the approach.
290
:We need to achieve this specific
thing and, it doesn't matter how we
291
:do it, but we're going to achieve it.
292
:And I think once you take that pressure
off, it makes it so much easier to
293
:be able to move forward as a team,
as a department to achieve things.
294
:So number four then, so number four
is getting into more of the, the
295
:risks and the opportunities isn't it?
296
:So what is the fourth
thing that people can do?
297
:Jacqui: So this is really considering
and bringing into other people's view,
298
:the risks and opportunities that are
associated with the external environment.
299
:So you need to be aware of what might
happen if of different scenarios of
300
:different things that could happen.
301
:And some of those are more
predictable and some of them less so.
302
:And when you are the person who is aware
of that and aware of more of the external
303
:environment, then you can bring that into
your communication and your approach.
304
:And you can talk about opportunities
that might come up because of external
305
:changes, because of legislation change
that might be coming up because of.
306
:Things like AI is a great example of this.
307
:If you're the person that's aware of, the
progress of AI and then talking about how
308
:can we as a business or how can we as a
function mitigate the risk associated with
309
:widespread adoption of AI and how can we
create opportunity for ourselves with it?
310
:Then you're getting ahead as opposed to
scrambling to react once that situation
311
:has shown itself so much in your
face that you can't avoid it anymore.
312
:So again, it's bringing your awareness of
what's going on and bringing that to other
313
:people's attention and posing some of that
thought around risks and opportunities
314
:that really highlights bigger picture over
here, something's going to be changing.
315
:Does that give us opportunity to do
more with the resources we've got?
316
:Does it give us an opportunity to
achieve a better result or achieve a
317
:result more quickly or more easily?
318
:Or does it present a risk or an obstacle
that we need a contingency plan for?
319
:Pam: Yeah.
320
:And I think that's also a really key
part is in it of being strategic and
321
:developing that strategic ability.
322
:Okay then, so Number five, this is
going to be the key one, isn't it?
323
:We've looked at all of the things
that you can do, but number five
324
:what is the final thing that
people can do to be more strategic?
325
:Jacqui: It's the final one for our list.
326
:Cause as ever, our lists are picked
from many things we could have
327
:included, but For two coaches, it's
not surprising that number five
328
:is ask more powerful questions.
329
:And the reason that we've included
this is that it really ties together
330
:a lot of those earlier ones.
331
:So it really think about the questions
you ask of yourself and the way
332
:that you ask questions of yourself.
333
:Think about the questions that you pose
within meetings, within interactions
334
:with others, and you don't need to
be the talker to be demonstrating
335
:your strategic thinking ability.
336
:You don't need to have the answers.
337
:I think sometimes people feel
that demonstrating their strategic
338
:thought means they have to have
come up with this strategic plan.
339
:And here you go, aren't I brilliant.
340
:Now I've demonstrated it, but actually
in asking some simple, but powerful
341
:questions, you provoke discussion, you
provoke debate, you encourage other
342
:people to stay fixed on the goals
and stay flexible on the approach.
343
:So it's a different way.
344
:And again, eases pressure on you to be
the one with all the answers, because
345
:just by asking some of those questions,
you're automatically showing that
346
:you're considering things or wondering
what might happen if in a way that
347
:someone that doesn't have that strategic
thinking ability doesn't necessarily do.
348
:Pam: Yeah, and I think that again,
it's another key part of it isn't it
349
:because you will be noticed as somebody
who is more strategic, just by the
350
:questions that you ask and how you
conduct yourself in those meetings.
351
:And I think it's something that people
do worry about as well because when
352
:you're in those meetings and when
you're the senior leader or you are a
353
:leader generally, or I think even in
some cases where you are trying to be
354
:promoted to those leadership roles.
355
:You want to be seen as somebody
who is knowledgeable, somebody
356
:that does have all the answers.
357
:And I think, when I look at my
own leadership approach and other
358
:people that I've worked for, who
I've thought are great leaders, it's
359
:more about being open, isn't it?
360
:And it's more about asking those
questions, the right questions
361
:to get the right answers.
362
:And you don't need to have all of the
answers yourself, but you need to be
363
:able to ask the questions that get those
thoughts moving in the right direction
364
:that bring the ideas to the table.
365
:And I think if you can do that and you
can get into the habit of doing that,
366
:and not feeling bad if you don't have all
the answers, but just staying curious.
367
:I think the key, one of the keys
to being a great leader is to be
368
:curious, is to ask those questions.
369
:And I think that links in, really
nicely with being a great leader
370
:who also can think strategically.
371
:Jacqui: It really does.
372
:It's not about being the
brightest in the room.
373
:It's about facilitating
other people's brilliance.
374
:That's the point.
375
:And you don't have to
have all the answers.
376
:I learned loads about strategic
thinking from a boss of mine who was
377
:an entrepreneur who had started her own
business, growing it really successfully.
378
:And some of the questions that she used
to ask, I still ask now of myself, of
379
:clients, because they were really helpful
for unlocking a different way of thinking.
380
:And one of the things that she always
did was she had this innate assumption.
381
:There must be a way to solve a problem
that always is there must be a way.
382
:So what is it?
383
:That for me was incredibly powerful.
384
:And I remember once with a particular
problem, her saying, okay, if you don't
385
:know what the answer is, what would
need to happen to make this possible?
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:So when people felt that it wasn't
possible, she just shifted that
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:question to say what would need
to change to make it possible.
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:And straight away, it was Oh if
there was this, if there was more
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:budget, if there was this, so all
of a sudden it wasn't impossible.
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:It's just that you realize what
limitations you'd put on your own thinking
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:when you just seemed that it wasn't.
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:Yeah, it really is incredibly powerful to
ask yourself some of those questions and
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:to shift in the way that you're thinking.
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:But the biggest shift is not having
to be the one with all the answers.
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:Pam: I think for people listening,
that thought of, I don't need to have
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:all the answers for some will be like,
this is exactly what I needed to hear.
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:And for others, there might be that
fear factor where they're thinking
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:I do need to know all the answers.
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:I do need to be seen as somebody who
is knowledgeable and that's fine.
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:You also can start to think about
being more strategic and bringing other
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:people almost into the conversation,
bringing other people into the room and
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:like you say, using their brilliance
to really drive the business forward.
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:I think that is, that's probably the
key thing is an out of all of this.
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:It's not just creating a
bottleneck with yourself.
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:It's about looking at what everyone
else can bring to the table.
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:It's probably a good point to mention as
well, that if your leaders need support
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:with developing or demonstrating strategic
thinking or ability, then get in touch
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:with us because this is definitely
something that we can help with.
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:We run workshops on this topic.
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:And we also work with individuals as well.
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:So we can work with your teams or we
can work with your individual leaders.
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:So if this is something that you think
this could really help my team or somebody
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:in my team, then drop us a message.
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:And then we can give you all of the
information around how we can help.
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:And as usual if you've enjoyed this
episode, please do share it with
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:anyone else that you think might
also find it useful or enjoyable.
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:And don't forget to rate and review
us on your favorite podcast platforms.
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:And we'll be back next
week with another episode.