How to learn and train on strategic thinking

Posted: September 4th, 2013

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How to learn and train on strategic thinking

Thinking strategically is an important skill to acquire, especially for business people. There are ways of learning and training how to think strategically. Thinking strategically is not only vital in business but also in other aspects of life. This is why it is important to learn and train to think strategically. One easy way of learning is addressing issues from more than one perspective. People can do this by asking a second opinion. They should compare the second opinion with theirs. The difference will help an individual to think strategically. When faced with an issue, it is important to apply the rule of system thinking. It requires people to understand the issue as a whole and the parts that it constitutes. Consider how the parts relate to the whole issue. Understanding the depth of the issue will help an individual think strategically. On the other hand, an individual should consider factors not related to the issue. He or she will definitely not include them when thinking and making decisions.

Plan

Strategic thinking requires people to think broadly and put into consideration all necessary factors before a decision is finally, a decision is made. Strategic thinking is mostly utilized when a manager is making strategic plans for the company. Many personal decisions in life also require strategic thinking. A good example is preparation in starting my own business. For it to be successful, I had to make a plan. I decided to start a coffee shop in my hometown. The plan included designing the shop and listing any other requirements. Later, I made a budget for the facilities and determined where to purchase them. According to the concepts of game theory, games are good at assisting an individual to learn and train how to think strategically. Certain games like chess and scrabble are good in applying strategic thinking. Before a player makes any move, he or she has to figure out the best move to make. Learners of strategic thinking can use such games to train.

Develop

After I opened the coffee shop, I developed an action plan of managing it. The first step was to finish putting the interior décor. It would play a major role in creating a relaxing atmosphere for my clients. They would look forward coming to my coffee shop after a long day. The next thing was to hire employees to assist me. They are expected to treat customers with respect and satisfy all their needs. I made sure the chef prepared quality coffee, according to customers’ requirements. I also laid out some marketing strategies to attract customers and retain them.

Study and Act

I have been doing an analysis on my business. The marketing strategies I have been using are giving me attractive returns. One of them is advertising my coffee shop. It has made it popular and now it is always a busy place. Customers often come in to have coffee and snacks as they relax any time of the day. From the profits I get, I have increased my employees’ salary and I am planning to expand the coffee shop. I realized it is important to be friendly to customers. Therefore, I have made friends with most of them who frequently visit the shop. Some customers have given their opinions and they think I need to add items on my menu. I intend to include some of the popular foods and beverages that are not in the shop. My shop has become successful because of strategic thinking. For example, I had to carry out market research and identify an appropriate business to start. I started my business after thinking strategically.