Take a More Strategic Approach to Work...Every Day
Illustration by Alanah Sarginson

Take a More Strategic Approach to Work...Every Day

Being strategic is an essential leadership skill. But strategies are notoriously hard to design and deliver. The key to overcoming the organizational and personal obstacles that get in the way? Make small decisions about where to focus and what to do throughout your day. They may feel inconsequential, but their impacts accumulate. Try these six strategies for incorporating strategic thinking into your daily work.

Identify key actions. Allocate time each day to activities that significantly contribute to your overall strategy. Prioritize high-impact tasks and delegate or eliminate less-critical ones.

Address major problems. Tackle the biggest challenges first. Reframe problems as opportunities to grow — and consider how solving them aligns with your strategic goals.

Explore choices. In every interaction with your colleagues, think about the different ways you could make progress toward your goals. Consider your role, what sets you apart from others, and your desired impact, and look out for learning opportunities in the moment.

Master necessary skills. Continue to invest in your growth and development. Learn from past efforts, seek advice from trusted coworkers, and look to high-performing peers for inspiration.

Create alignment. Strive to align your strategic decisions with the needs of all stakeholders — yourself included! Reframe situations to find innovative ways to benefit both you and your organization’s goals.

Assemble resources. Ensure you have the physical, mental, and relational resources you need to do your best work. Prioritize health, supportive relationships, and a productive work environment.

Read the full article: "6 Ways to Bring Strategy into Your Work Every Day," by David Lancefield


Learn more:

The CEO’s Journey Is a 3-Act Play


7 Ways to Weave Mindfulness into Your Workday


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Sanela Lukanovic

Executive and Life Coach I Expert in Brené Brown's Courage Work I Speaker & Trainer I I help clients boost their confidence, overcome perfectionism and self-criticism and live with courage, compassion and purpose.

1mo

Great suggestions - the hardest thing is to identify key actions in a job that's client driven and no two days are the same. Still, the most valuable step that keeps everything in focus. Thank you Harvard Business Review

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Tony Gabriel

GABRTEACH/ GABR-BEHAVE- GABRWORKS- Educator/ Presenter/Writer/Professional Development/ Workforce Development/

1mo

Leaders that take a more strategic and psychologically safe proactive approach to influencing their staff will have performance reviews that are more likely to be valid and less problematic. Read more https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/performance-reviews-intimidating-productive-exercise-futility-tony-gjyvc/?trackingId=JuxjOJnrEjMUjNKsveP7jw%3D%3D

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Capt. Akash Saxena

Marine Professional, Shipping Expert, Marine Sustainability, Marine Assurance, Passionate Mariner

2mo

Thank you for sharing these valuable strategies! Focusing on key tasks and addressing major challenges help align daily actions with long-term strategies. Embracing change and exploring new opportunities can drive meaningful progress.

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Cynthi Knight, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, ACC, BCC

Certified Executive Coach and Consultant partnering with leaders to evolve faster than the accelerated rate of change

2mo

When you have more to do than time available, here is an article that may help you be more strategic in your prioritizing work.

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Ali Salamati

Import/Export administrator | front-end developer | Python programmer - Increasing awareness every day

2mo

Thank you so much for this article, I will do it daily from now on.

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