Become more strategic

Strategic’ is probably one of the more overused words in the workplace and it isn’t always clear what this looks like in action. But being strategic is important to how impactful you become. Here’s how to operate in a more strategic way.

DON’T REACT EQUALLY TO EVERYTHING: ‘When you are strategic you know not everything is important or deserves attention. Don’t plunge straight into things without stopping to assess whether you need to take action or not or indeed what action to take. Avoid reacting immediately. Focus on the few things that will deliver the best result and will advance the key agendas.

DON’T GET WRAPPED UP IN SMALL THINGS: Have a goal that you are driving toward and key your eye on that goal so that you don’t get too much into the tactical issues. Stay knowledgeable about the key things your organisation is implementing or driving forward and stay involved. Don’t look at issues in isolation but develop the broader organisational understanding that helps you identify where to invest your time, energies, skills and insights. Avoid simply performing functions rather than taking a view on whether and how to make your engagement more meaningful.

KEEP EVOLVING TO MEET BUSINESS NEEDS: Don’t be a relic expecting the organisation to meet you where you are. You’ll fizzle out. Don’t just focus only on the now and what’s directly ahead. Know what is changing and tune how you work so that your role becomes what your organisation needs it to be. Identify what you need to get better at; because you cannot afford to remain the same. You cannot keep up good work without growing. And you cannot be part of any transformational activity if you keep doing everything the same way you’ve always done it.

DON’T ALLOW THE MEANS TO OVERTAKE THE ENDS: Keep your eye on your end goal and measure the right things at the right level along the way. Have meaningful measures not measures that are simple but don’t tell you much about how you are progressing. Protect yourself against urgent demands that take you off course. Plan well so that important tasks are done when they need to be done. Focus on reinforcing what will help you achieve your targets.

STAY COURAGEOUS WITH CONVERSATIONS: Playing nice or safe when you need to make critical shifts will keep you in a rut. Face up to basic questions such as what’s not working, what specifically has to be fixed and what will be the fallout if you don’t deal with what needs tackling. Being strategic calls for not missing the opportunity to do what needs doing, when it needs doing or indeed creating the space to do so. Honest and open conversations are risky and uncomfortable but unless you are willing to be bold in uncovering and addressing what’s impeding growth, you’ll go no where.

Now take action: How fit are you for what your role needs to evolve?