March 23, 2006
Critical Skill 1: Strategic Deep Thinking
Liz published this at 12:53 pm
No More Faster, Faster
We live in fast food culture, where now and yesterday seem to be the timing of every answer. “Faster, Faster,” was great when I was at the carnival as a child, but I’m not sure it’s the best answer for making decisions about my business or my future. I’m all for doing strategic deep thinking about important decisions, but our environment doesn’t do much to support or even to teach how to think deeply or strategically.
We sort everything into top ten lists. We find out the what of things and sometimes the how, but hardly ever the why. We ask for things done, but not necessarily done right. We stop looking as soon as we find the first answer. These are not the traits of a deep, strategic thinkers.
Thinking Deeper
Thinking deeply and strategically isn’t popular, but it is valuable. The folks who can do it are prized and sought after. They are also incredibly secure. How do they get to the thoughts that are past the surface? Here are some of the things that strategic thinkers do. These are all things anyone can do.
- Go past the first answer. When you’re faced with a problem, once you find answer 1, keep looking for answers 2, 3, and 4.
- Get a friend to find the holes in your thinking. Pick someone who wasn’t involved in finding the solution. Anyone involved in the thinking can’t see the flaws in it.
- Set your thinking on the back burner and revisit it in an hour or so. This is the same concept as letting yourself sleep on it. Research has proved that it works. Tell yourself that you’re going to put the idea in your subconscious to work on it. I always touch the back of my head when I do this. When I return to the problem later, I find new information to work with.
- Try on your thinking as you try on your clothes. Remember, we’re outside of the box here. This might sound silly at first, but it works. Take an inventory of how the idea feels in your gut, in your fingers, and in your toes. If something doesn’t feel right, explore what that is. You’d be surprised how much knowledge you carry in the cells outside of your brain.
- Discount the obvious, and look for the invisible. Ask yourself outright, “What am I missing here?” When you find it, adjust your old solution to cover the new information too.
- If someone disagrees with your solution, include his or her thinking as part of the problem. This IS one case where two ideas can work to become more than the whole. Keep your own goal, but add the new ones to the mix. You’ll find the new solution stronger than the one you originally reached.
These are just a few ways to take your thinking deeper than what I call the “skin of the pudding.” I like to think deeply, because I like to know that my answer will stand when I have to defend it.
It might not be faster, faster, but it’s worth it to know that the answer will last and last.
What parts of your brand could use some strategic, deep thinking?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Filed under Branding, Motivation-Inspiration, Outside the Box, Strategy/Analysis, Successful Blog | 17 Comments »
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17 Comments to “Critical Skill 1: Strategic Deep Thinking”
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Liz Strauss . com A Correction about SWOT said
[...] I’ve been writing a lot about strategic deep thinking–the importance of finding more than one solution to any problem–as part of my Thinking Outside of the Box Series at Successful-Blog. [...]
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[...] See also: Critical Skills 1: Strategic Deep Thinking [...]
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Successful Blog - Critical Skill 7: Bias Toward Action with an Eye on Opportunity Cost said
[...] Related articles The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Critical Skill 1: Strategic Deep Thinking Critical Skill 5A: 3 Parts of Spectacular Ideas Critical Skill 6A: Five Tools for Finding Faulty Assumptions [...]
Stevo Enso said
I like your blog titled Thinking Deeper. I consider myself a deep thinker and don’t feel that there are all that many others in my life. I would love for anybody who reads this to check out my blog at idontknowidk.blogspot.com where i discuss some deep thoughts I have. Any comments and feedback you have will be greatly appreciated.
ME Strauss said
Hi Steve,
Welcome!
I understand what you mean about being hungry for other deep thinkers in your life. Keep warch around here. I’ve seen many.
Critical Skill 7: The Opportunity Action Test - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You are only a stranger once. said
[...] articles The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Critical Skill 1: Strategic Deep Thinking Critical Skill 5A: 3 Parts of Spectacular Ideas Critical Skill 6A: Five Tools for Finding Faulty [...]
Critical Skill 8: How to Know When to Act on Your Worries - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said
[...] articles The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Critical Skill 1: Strategic Deep Thinking Critical Skill 5A: 3 Parts of Spectacular Ideas Critical Skill 6A: Five Tools for Finding Faulty [...]
Taki Tumazos said
Feel free to laugh at my e-mail address,
everybody does.
Deep thinking, requires deep different ways of
thinking. Multiple outcomes as you say.
I have been trying for a long time (say 6 weeks), to come up with deep thinking techniques.
Thinkers, have looked at deductive and inductive logic(thinking), I am better at inductive. Also lateral thought and re-framing of problems is important.
So far I am saying that looking at numerous ways to solve a problem is a start and you have already covered this.
Going to the next level is the challenge
ME Liz Strauss said
Hi Taki!
Welcome!
The list includes 10 Skills of which this is only the first.
Nine more are written. You can find them if you follow the first link under the Related posts at the end of this article.
richard said
Stop looking for ideas outside the box…………… throw the box away and think
Taki Tumazos said
I would like to thank you for your input and info from your site this past year. All the best for 2009
and good luck
This sounds quite simple, I do find by starting with a simple thought and
graduating it up to a deeper thought works for me …
Mohan Paudel said
Hello,
It is so interesting site. Thank you a lot. I would like more about the process of developing this strategic and thinking if you have any prescribed model.
Mohan
ME Liz Strauss said
Hi Taki
So much of strategic thinking is flexibility and fluency within the terrain and climate of unfolding events. The foundation of these ten skills would serve you well.
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