The business reality of today is not only unprecedented, as in the pandemic-era period, but also uncertain. The fear of the unknown is a fundamental human instinct. This uncertainty can cause stress and doubt for leaders who are trying to make decisions. Our ability to plan is the psychological antidote. Even though it can feel impossible to foresee the future due to layoffs and lockdowns, leaders should be able to plan better. A refined approach to strategic thinking is key to better foresight.
Strategic thinking is difficult to master for leaders because it’s both a mindset and a set of skills. Additionally, most workplaces prefer to respond to immediate needs rather than to long-term planning and vision. This puts you as a leader in a difficult position. How can you plan for tomorrow’s problems if you are only recognized for solving the present?
It is important to reward and cultivate strategic thinking within an organization. Aperio Consulting Group is an expert in workplace analytics and the implementation of research-based strategies to create high-performance cultures. This period of uncertainty is a time when you need to develop your leadership skills and foresight.
Business owners need to have the foresight
What makes foresight so important for leadership in turbulent times? Good leaders can see the important things and cut through the chaos to get to the heart of what is most important. This skill is especially important during times of disruption such as the pandemic when everyone is feeling high levels of emotion, chaos, and stress. Employees can feel calmer if there is a leader who can cut through all the noise and give direction.
What are the traits business leaders should have to be able to see ahead?
However, projecting calm and emotional intelligence requires competence. Before they can lead others, leaders must first manage their emotions and reactions. High emotions can cause a narrowing of their focus and make it difficult to see the larger picture. This is due to the physiological fight-or-flight response. Our brains are wired to recognize dangers and react accordingly. A narrow focus may be helpful if you are confronted by a bear, but it won’t work in professional settings.
When you need to manage the emotions that trigger that reactionary response, the pause-assess-anticipate-act cycle can be a good place to start. You can process more information and make better decisions by being calm. While some situations may require immediate action in certain circumstances, most situations will be more successful if the next steps are carefully planned. A strategic approach to leadership can be 10 times more effective in influencing perceptions of effectiveness than other behavior.
You can see the solutions you missed by taking the time to anticipate and assess your situation. One example: I worked with a leader in a company who was very narrowly focused due to stress. He might have seen that his team was happy and eager to help if he wasn’t so focused on his thoughts. One employee stated, “There are some things we can help, but he cannot see that.” Don’t make the same mistake. Keep your eyes open so you can see all the strategic options and plan for the future.
How to get better foresight
I was optimistic when COVID-19 hit. The slow shutdown allowed us to concentrate on strategy. Our team worked hard for weeks, did extensive market research, and discussed the future. It was a great start to our success. Although it was hard, I wanted to be sure that we were moving in the right direction. Everyone is now excited about our vision.
It was comforting to me to say that it’s OK. I don’t know how things will turn out but this is our plan.” This helped my team feel confident in my leadership abilities and the company’s overall performance.
Do you want to keep a positive outlook for the long-term during and after the pandemic? These are three strategies that will help you get a new 20/20 vision.
1. Take time to take care of yourself
No other advice is going to help you if you are stressed out and exhausted. Your focus will be too narrow to make it work. You can’t do anything else until you get rid of the stress. Get exercise. Get enough sleep. Take care of your body. Have a rest day. Spend some time outside. It is important to take care of yourself. For me, it is relaxing to be near water. You can improve your mental health by making time for decompression.
While our bodies are capable of handling long hours, we must allow our bodies to rest and heal. Stress and pressure can be detrimental to our bodies, as well as our brain function. Things can go wrong when we give in to anxiety and are too ego-driven. To be able to think strategically, you must have the ability to adapt and hope.
2. Practice strategic intuition
There is no way to predict the future. Although you cannot predict the future, your intuition can help you plan your future actions. It is important to take the time to see both your present reality and your future. To gain a wider perspective, take a step back and allow space to be preserved beyond the daily grind. You won’t see the whole garden if you are always in the weeds.
Aperio’s team holds weekly tactical meetings, monthly strategic meetings, and quarterly vision meetings at remote locations. My employees are encouraged to spend an hour each week thinking about how things are doing and what needs to change. It’s all about connecting the dots between past, present, and future. What has happened? Where are we going? You can make better predictions about your future if you understand the relationship between the past and the current.
3. Take a system-based view of your organization
You should make an effort to understand your department’s contribution to the success of your clients, customers, and constituents. Because of the interdependence, senior leadership meetings are essential. This is where you can use your energy to decide what to reduce and what to increase. Eliminating is difficult because we want to hold on to the familiar in times of disruption. However, it is important to take a step back and make informed decisions.
To test your hypotheses or scenarios, you need to create them. You can test your hypothesis by setting up your hypothesis. Your scenario may work, but if it doesn’t, you can always go back to the drawing board. You can test and try things to get a better idea of how things could turn out and help you reach your destination quicker. You can’t continue to be stuck with the status quo. It will only stop you from moving forward. Instead, take a step back and see your company from a system perspective. This will allow you to make forward-thinking decisions for your company’s success.
Foresight is a skill that can be learned
Work environments generally reward “doer” tactics. Focusing on immediate actions will not allow you to develop foresight. You must take care of your health and allow yourself to reflect on the systems and organization in 2021. You might be able to see the potential hidden in the chaos if you can focus and cut through the noise.
Disclaimer. The opinions and views expressed in this article are the authors Andrew Napolitano.
