If One More Person Asks You What to Do… Do This

Are You Carrying All the Mental Weight?

Let’s be honest, if you’re the CEO, founder, visionary, or strategic leader you’ve probably felt the strain of being the go-to problem solver. When every question and decision lands on your plate, burnout isn’t far behind. 

The missing ingredient? 

Strategic thinking at every level of your team. 

When your leaders and team members think strategically, they become empowered problem-solvers, and you get to focus on leading, not just putting out fires.

Key Strategies to Ignite Strategic Thinking in Your Team

1. Define What Strategic Thinking Really Means

Strategic thinking isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the ability to solve problems by weighing options, considering consequences, and seeing the big picture.

But here’s the catch: most people don’t know what it actually looks like in action.

“If you say I need you to think more strategically, they don’t really know what that is.”

Just as you wouldn’t expect someone to tie their shoes without being shown, you can’t expect your team to think strategically without guidance.

Walk your team through your own decision-making process. Share real examples and ask them to reflect on how they’d approach similar situations. 

2. Encourage Big Picture Awareness

True strategic thinking requires looking beyond one’s own role and understanding how decisions shape the organization.

“How does this impact our overall client experience? Or how does this impact my other team members? Or how does this impact our mission?”

Engagement and motivation soar when your team connects their work to the broader mission.

In your next meeting, ask each team member to describe how their project supports a larger company goal.

3. Create Hands-On Learning Opportunities

You can’t think your way into strategic thinking, it’s built through experience. If your team only ever follows orders, they’ll never flex their strategic muscles.

“You don’t have any way for them to experience what that way of thinking is, it’s not going to work, it’s going to lead to frustration.”

Without real-world practice, team members default to tactical or logical thinking.

Assign “stretch” projects that require team members to make decisions, weigh trade-offs, and present their reasoning.

4. Foster Open Dialogue and Reflection

Strategic thinking grows in a culture of curiosity and shared learning. It’s not just about telling—it’s about dialoguing.

“Share your way of thinking, and hear their way of thinking, and fill in the blanks. Where they’re not being strategic, help them see how you would think strategically.”

This ongoing exchange helps close the gap between tactical and strategic mindsets.

After a project wraps, hold a debrief session: “What strategic choices did we make? What would we do differently next time?”

Let’s Make This Personal

How many times this week have you answered a question your team could have solved?

What would your business look like if everyone owned their decisions and thought two steps ahead?

Imagine the freedom and momentum you’d gain if your team brought you solutions, not just problems.

Next Steps: Act Now to Build Strategic Superpowers

• Model Your Thinking: Narrate your strategic process out loud for your team.

• Connect Work to Purpose: Regularly link projects to the company’s mission and vision.

• Assign Stretch Projects: Give your team real opportunities to practice making strategic decisions.

• Debrief Together: After big decisions, reflect as a team on what worked and what you learned.

Ready to Build a Team of Strategic Thinkers?

Strategic thinking isn’t reserved for the C-suite; it’s a superpower every team member can develop. When you nurture this skill, you empower your team to solve problems, seize opportunities, and drive your business forward.

Ready to unlock your team’s strategic potential?  Not sure how with your unique team, then book a complimentary Quick-Solve Session today and we will think through it together.

Unleash your team’s thinking superpowers! Let’s transform your team into confident, strategic leaders!