Here are the key takeaways from the video "A No BS Guide to Thinking Strategically In Every Situation":
- Strategic vs. Tactical Thinking: Many people get stuck focusing on short-term or tactical wins (like checking tasks off a to-do list) and lose sight of their long-term, strategic goals.
- Sacrificing Short-Term for Long-Term Wins: Sometimes, you need to accept small, immediate losses or sacrifices in order to stay on track for greater, long-term gains. This applies both in business and personal life.
- Aligning Daily Tasks with Strategy: It’s crucial to make sure daily actions are aligned with strategic objectives. Time blocking and being intentional about dedicating time to long-term planning are key tactics.
- A Tactical Trap: Spending all day clearing your email inbox feels productive but can prevent you from making real progress on your most important, long-term goals. It’s a common example of focusing on what’s urgent, not what’s strategic. (also Movement vs Progress)
- Importance of Relationships: Prioritize building and maintaining relationships over rigidly sticking to rules or contracts. Real-world stories showed that valuing relationships leads to better outcomes, both professionally and personally.
When you think strategically, you put a premium on relationships and on leadership capital.
- Detachment as a Tool: Regularly detach from immediate problems and step back to view the bigger picture. This helps in prioritizing and executing strategies effectively.
- Leadership Capital: Don't expend influence or "leadership capital" on issues that aren’t critical. Be patient and sometimes let things run their course to achieve strategic goals.
- Parenting and Personal Examples: At home, emphasizing relationship quality over perfect performance (e.g., having fun with your kids instead of criticizing their form) pays off in the long run.
- Tools to Stay Strategic: Use planners or whiteboards that make your long-term goals visible. Audit your time regularly to ensure actions match stated priorities.
- Immediate Action Drill: Audit your time for a week and ask: Are my daily tasks aligned with my long-term goals? Adjust as needed to bridge gaps.
We have to be intentional and we have to have the right tools and processes in place to allow us to think strategically.
I want people to think about their long-term strategic goals. Are we spending enough time identifying what those are? If you don't know what those are, detach and find out for yourself, what is it that I'm trying to accomplish?
It doesn't matter what we say our priorities are. Our priorities are where we're actually putting our time.
The big message: Strategic thinking requires conscious effort to prioritize what matters most for long-term success, both in leadership and in life.