Strategic Horizon Program Strategic Thinking Module Center for

Strategic Horizon Program Strategic Thinking Module Center for Community College Development

Strategic Thinking Definition § A systematic way of looking at forces in the environment (trends, events, circumstances and information) to determine implications for the institution, parts of the institution, and one’s work within the institution. § It differs from activities such as strategic planning and visioning in that it involves an orderly or “systematic” process of asking questions about information, observations and experience. § It enables us to identify key themes and put them to use in our work. 2

Strategic Thinking What it accomplish es § The focus of ST is on the individual. When a significant number of individuals in a college use strategic thinking skills, the college as a whole improves. § ST will enable you to approach your work from a “big picture” perspective; it will help you gauge the implications of information for the institution, your department, and your work. § ST improves performance by 1. limiting or eliminating the undesirable effects of a negative trend or circumstance 2. encouraging action to create a favorable response to observed conditions, and 3 3. enabling individuals to identify and pursue an opportunity heretofore unseen.

Strategic Thinking 1. An increased interest in, and awareness of, trends conveyed in information and interactions with students, staff and stakeholders Desired learning outcomes 2. An ability to identify “big picture themes” in information specific to various media, observations and experience, and casual conversation 3. A capacity to gauge and determine the implications of information for the college, your department, and your work 4

Strategic Thinking Desired learning outcomes (continued) 4. An ability to determine a course of action that can be taken to: a) mitigate the undesirable effects of a specific trend or circumstance b) encourage the development of a positive trend, and c) pursue a new opportunity that could potentially benefit the college 5. A capacity to use strategic thinking comfortably in all facets of your work and to encourage others to use it 5

Strategic Thinking Newspaper exercise § A recent newspaper article has been placed on your table. Please skim it, then: § Work through it individually, identifying key themes and writing them down. § Next, working as a group, select one person to write down the consensus of the group in answering the following questions: 1. What is/are the key theme(s) in the article? 2. What makes this theme stand out? Why is it significant? 3. Working individually, did most members of the group find the same theme or did they find different themes? 6 § Afterward, we’ll share the responses from each table.

Strategic Thinking A questionbased protocol 7 § Using the newspaper article as a frame of reference, let’s look at some important questions that need to be asked answered when one is thinking strategically about a college, a department, or one’s work. § These questions involve:

Strategic Thinking A questionbased protocol 8 1. Define the business § What “business” is the organization/institution in? § Is the business attractive? 2. Identify the stakeholders § Who are the key stakeholders? § What are their characteristics and needs? § What do they want—today? tomorrow?

Strategic Thinking A questionbased protocol 9 3. Identify the value created § What value is the institution delivering to stakeholders? 4. Analyze the environment § What forces are at work or emerging in the external environment? § Who are our competitors and what are they doing or preparing to do?

Strategic Thinking A questionbased protocol 10 5. Determine the source(s) of advantage § Does the value created differentiate our institution from competitors? § What “new forms” of value can be created to achieve an advantage over competitors? § Is the advantage sustainable?

Strategic Thinking A questionbased protocol 11 6. Assess Capabilities § What are our institution’s strengths and competencies? § What are its resources? § What competencies and resources does it need to develop in order to build an advantage?

Strategic Thinking A questionbased protocol 12 7. Assess Implications § What are the implications of these responses: § For the college? § For your department? § For you in your work?

Strategic Thinking Hotels and Community Colleges Strategic Thinking Protocol Hotel What is the industry? What is the “real” business? Who are the key stakeholders? What value is the organization creating for its stakeholders? What forces are at work in the external environment? What value does the organization need to create to achieve an advantage over competitors? What are the organization’s capabilities and resources? What are the implications of your answers to these questions for: 13 • the organization? • your department? • your work? College/University

Strategic Thinking Reflections 14 § What have you learned? § What value does ST have for you and your work?

Strategic Thinking Identifying an opportunity 15 § Describe the opportunity § Analyze the opportunity, using the ST protocol § Outline a plan of action to pursue the opportunity

Strategic Thinking 1. Describe the Opportunity 2. Analyze the Opportunity § Identify the stakeholders § Who are the key stakeholders? Identifying an opportunity § What are their characteristics and needs? § What do they want—today? tomorrow? § Define the value created § What value could be delivered to key stakeholders by pursuing this opportunity? § Analyze the environment § What forces are at work or emerging in the environment that relate to this opportunity? 16 § Who are the competitors--what are they doing or what could they do?

Strategic Thinking Identifying an opportunity § § Identify sources of advantage § Will the value created through this opportunity differentiate the college, my department, or my work from that of competitors? § Is the advantaged achieved through differentiation sustainable? Assess Capabilities § § What capabilities (college, my department, or my personal skills) can be directed to this opportunity? Assess implications § For the college? § For my department? § For my work? 3. Outline a plan to pursue the opportunity 17

Strategic Thinking Next Steps—Lay the Groundwork § Is cultural change needed? § Prepare the leadership team Identifying an opportunity § What groups and levels of staff will be trained? § Identify mixed or homogenous groups and organizational levels for training § Cascade the training (first group trained then trains the next, etc. ) 18

Strategic Thinking Selected Readings Alfred, R. (2001). Strategic Thinking: The Untapped Resource for Leaders. Community College Journal. 71(3), 24 -28. Cramer, J. (2002, February 1). Are You Thinking Strategically? Issues. http: //www. di. net/article. php? article_id=62 Linkow, P. (1999). What Gifted Strategic Thinkers Do. Training and Development. 53(7), 34 -37. Porter, M. (1987, May 23). The State of Strategic Thinking. The Economist, 303(7499). 17 -20. Wilson, I. (1995). Envisioning (and Inventing) the Future. On the Horizon, 3(3), 1 -5. Wilson, I. (1996). The Practical Power of Vision. On the Horizon. 4(2), 1 -5. Wilson, W. (1997). Focusing Our organizations on the Future: Turning Intelligence into Action. On the Horizon. 5(3), 1 -6. www. des. calstate. edu/strategic. html www. psc-cfp. gc. ca/research/ knowledge/strathink_e. htm#Liedtka www. refresher. com/!mindset. html 19 www. qm 2. org/mbriefs/brief 30216 st. html

Strategic Thinking As we wrap up the session on Strategic Thinking, we would appreciate feedback that will help us improve the module. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions below and simply leave it for us. Thank you! Evaluation § What worked well? § What didn’t work well? § What could be deleted? § What needs to be added? § Are you likely to use Strategic Thinking as a result of what you learned in this session? § On a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (outstanding), how would you rate this workshop? 20

Strategic Horizon Program Strategic Thinking Module Center for Community College Development