How to Think Strategically
At CUNA Mutual’s Business Development Unit we are always on the lookout for a compelling new business book. Unfortunately, the business genre, which is flooded with new titles, is sorely lacking in strong material. Many business books these days focus on the three popular themes of finance, strategy and leadership. Too many take a single concept, which might have made for a good magazine article, and expand it with filler to 300 pages to satisfy their publisher. The end result is at best a painful reading experience and at worst a waste of time.
Occasionally though, a new business title emerges that grabs our attention and sparks new discussion. A recent example is a book titled “Deep Dive” by Rich Horwath (pub. Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2011). The book’s subtitle is “The Proven Method for Building Strategy, Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action”.
While this book has much to offer, one idea in particular stands out. Horwath makes the case that strategic planning and strategic thinking are two very different concepts. He notes that too many organizations invest substantial time and resource in strategic planning processes, without ever having developed a true culture of strategic thinking that must necessarily precede and underly the planning process.
Of course, Horwath is not the first to make such an observation. Horwath, in fact, quotes Professor Henry Mintzberg, one of the great pioneers of corporate strategy development, thusly: “Strategic planning is not strategic thinking. Indeed, strategic planning often spoils strategic thinking, causing managers to confuse real vision with the manipulation of numbers.”
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