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Success in Leadership no doubt requires strategic thinking. Leaders at every point and level of their leadership are expected to be strategic when it comes to the execution of their leadership assignments. Strategic thinking has to do with a long-term thought process that is geared towards building a successful team and a successful organization. Many leaders are preoccupied with the present, not taking into cognizance what the future holds for the organization and for the team that they are leading.
Listen to Podcast: The Relevance of Strategic Thinking in Leadership
Now, one thing we must never forget is that leadership entails taking people from where they are into where they are supposed to be or taking an organization from where it is into that enviable future; and if we are ever going to realize this as leaders, then it requires that we are strategic in our thinking.
I want to read this Bible passage to us in the book of Luke 14:28-32 and I believe it is going to put more light on what we are discussing with ourselves today. The Bible says:
“For which of you (the “you” there could be anyone; a leader, a follower, a manager, a business owner), intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost (in the present), whether he has enough to finish it (in the future)— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.”
Now, what this passage is simply teaching us is how to be strategic when it comes to doing anything great and beautiful in our leadership endeavors. It is simply saying in a nutshell, don’t just think about the starting or the present, also think about the future. In order words, think long term, and this is what strategic thinking is all about. It involves thinking LONG TERM.
Again in Matthew 25, there is a story there that also help in the understanding of what it means to think strategically as leaders. Matthew 25:1-4, the Bible says: “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” The five wise virgins thought strategically by thinking long term and so, they took with them additional oil. However, the foolish virgins were not strategic thinkers, they only thought about now and so, they didn’t bother to take extra oil. So, from here we can see that strategic thinking helps one to be wise.
How is Strategic Thinking Relevant in Today’s World of Leadership?
- It helps the leader and his team to think ahead, to think about the future of the organization, and not only focus on the present alone.
There is a popular saying that “you cannot feature in the future you did not plan for.” While it is good to focus on the activities and the programs we are currently being engaged with, it is also equally important that we think about the long term. Now, Peter I believe is one of the strategic thinkers in Jesus’ company when He was on earth. Peter was a man who thinks about the future of himself and his other disciples. He asked Jesus in Matthew 19:27-29 (TPT): “Then Peter blurted out, “Here we are. We’ve given up everything to follow you. What reward will there be for us?” For Peter to have spoken this way, I believe he must have strategically thought about it. You know there is a Scripture that says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Peter must have thought about the fact that they had left all; families, businesses, friends, and acquittances to follow Jesus. He thought about their future and so, he blurted out when he could no longer contain that thought.
28 Jesus responded, “Listen to the truth: In the age of the restoration of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will have twelve thrones of your own, and you will govern the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 For anyone who has left behind their home and property, leaving family—brothers or sisters, mothers or fathers, or children—for my sake, they will be repaid a hundred times over and will inherit eternal life.”
- Strategic thinking helps the leader and the organization to remain focused even as they journey into the future.
Strategic thinking keeps both the leader and his team in check. There is a popular saying that “if you don’t know where you are going, every road will look like the right direction.” With strategic thinking, everyone in the organization is armed with the right knowledge, the right thinking, and the right way of doing things. Everyone is focused on the same goal and vision, and everyone journeys together into the future; no one is left behind or in the loop. With strategic thinking comes strategic direction.
- With Strategic Thinking Comes Strategic Growth.
The strategic growth of the organization will no doubt be produced by strategic thinking. No organization moves from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ without some strategic thinking involved. Organizational growth does not fall on any organization like ripe pawpaw. Organizational growth is thought about and of course, everyone working towards what has been thought about to make it a reality. Growth takes time and it also takes effort as well. So, if you are going to experience growth in that organization and experience growth as a leader, you have to think strategically.
Mark 4:26-29 says: “And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground…” That talks about effort. To experience any growth, there is a commensurate amount of effort that must go into it and the effort we are talking about today is strategic thinking. It takes some level of effort to think strategically.
Verse 27 says: “and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how…” because growth does not happen overnight, growth takes time. For every level of growth that you are yearning for, it takes place in time. Verse 28 now shows us the process. It says: “For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head…” This simply shows us the process. Your organization must go through the process of growth to grow, your team must go through the process of growth to grow. These things does not happen all of a sudden.
29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” Now, this last verse shows us someone who is waiting to reap or harvest something because he or she has put in the required effort, and so, he is expectant.
In conclusion, if you as the leader and your organization are not going to be caught in a web of unpreparedness about the future, then you have to start thinking strategically now. The future does not favor those who stumble into it. The future simply favors those who prepared for it. To fail to think strategically is to plan to fail. The future of organizations depends on strategic thinkers. The future of any person depends on strategic thinkers as well. It would simply take a strategic thinker to be able to lead people into their future and destinies.
Thank you for listening to this podcast, my name remains Abiola Obayomi. We can continue this conversation by reaching out to me via my WhatsApp number and my social media handles. Let me know what you are thinking about what we have shared with ourselves today and you can also get to ask me questions that are bothering your heart about your leadership. Feel free to reach out to me.
God bless you!
[Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
