5 Ways to Start Being More Strategic

If I had the ability to clear your calendar for a whole day to free you up to focus on the bigger pictures, do you know what you would actually do?

As the leader of your business, you know that thinking “big picture” (more strategically) is important and you need to do it, but you may find yourself spending more time and energy on the day-to-day activities of your business.

Thinking “big picture” is different than just “doing” work. You must have the ability to think ahead and be able to see in many different directions. You need to have patience and create the time to do this.

Taking the time to think big is well worth it on your entrepreneurial journey!

I’ve listed a few ways you can start being more strategic in your business – take a look and let me know what you think!

Cast a vision and share with your team

It’s probably already in your head but visualize and forecast a desired future. This is who and what your organization is, where it’s going and how you are going to get there. When your vision is clear and you know where you are going, you must communicate it to your team. Everyone must understand it. When your team understands where you are headed, they can decide if they want to go there with you. If they do and everyone is rowing in the same direction, productivity increases.

Create A Plan

Once you and your team are on the same page about where you are headed, it’s time to plan out (in detail) how you are going to get there. Think about what you plan to accomplish over the next year. Then, focus on what needs to get done in the next 90 days. Set a due date for each (usually the end of the quarter) and assign an owner (only one owner for clear accountability). You now have a laser focus on the highest priority work in the company.

Take Time To Think

Most often, leaders are busy with the day-to-day work of clients or attending to urgent matters that they don’t have, or rather, take the time to think strategically. If this is you, take the time. Pause for a moment and schedule “thinking time” on your calendar. Honor this time and spend it taking a look at where you are at in your business, understand industry trends, and do research.

Right People, Right Seats

Surround yourself with good people. People who share your business’s core values. They are a fit for your culture and can see where you are going. You enjoy being around them and they help make your business a better place to be.

Schedule Quarterly Planning Sessions

You go through the effort to create a plan, identify goals, assign priorities – don’t let it stop there. Having quarterly planning sessions will help you stay on track and think about the future and check in on how the current plan is tracking. Keep a better eye on the future by putting dates on the calendar and committing to planning. Don’t let the day-to-day keep you from having the strategy time your organization needs.