If you googled this, you wouldn’t get a direct definition. You’d get some good stuff on what the difference between strategic and tactical thinkers is though, which is where my thinking came from.
I am blessed to have spent 29 years working in an industry that is awash with strategic thinkers, we are a highly entrepreneurial set of people with no shortage of ideas. I count myself as an accomplished strategic thinker.
However, when considering what I could offer a successful business owner, strategic thinking is not something that is widely needed. Tactical thinking though, is different and can be in short supply.
I define the difference as:
Strategic thinking – development of long-term goals and provides a general direction in terms of moving towards those goals. Big thinking about big stuff.
Tactical thinking – focussed on what is needed to deliver on your strategic goals, and how to execute in the day to day in order to deliver. Big thinking about elements of the big stuff.
Supporting a big thinker in how to execute and deliver on a strategic plan is mutually very rewarding. It requires a high level of trust between the thinking partners, backed up by high levels of expertise about the matter in hand. Alongside that, I need to listen intently, create a safe space for the confidential sharing of ideas, and be rigorous in holding my thinking partner to account on agreed actions.
How this works in practice varies from client to client, but to offer a general roadmap, we start off with a discovery day where I get to interrogate you on your strategy (fun!) and then we bounce around ideas to bring the strategy to life. I’m there to support your thinking, keep you in track and be the guardian of your ideas.
