My job is to apply strategy in the organisational context. I’m often surrounded by executives and managers, some of whom are more experienced than I am, exchanging ideas and sharing thoughts about our work. By doing so, it’s common to being asked “how do I become a better strategist”?

Sometimes it’s a provocative question – testing myself. Would this guy be able to speak about his own craft? Sometimes it’s a pure curiosity or a way to open up a casual conversation. In spite of that, there are those who are seriously interested in how they develop themselves.

At Stratega, my firm, we combine strategy, innovation and design to help companies think about their future, plan their growth and reinvent their businesses. It’s then inevitable that I answer the top question by first of all suggesting to amplify the view about the work of a strategist.

You need to embrace complexity and enjoy to bring different disciplines altogether to do the work. Strategy demands that.

Nonetheless, let’s give a chance to a simple guideline. Let me opt for this angle…

In the past there was the strategic planning. Then apeared a tentative to enlarge it, and we saw strategic management flourishing. Now there is the need to move ahead, evolve into a more powerful and mature model, embedding strategy everywhere and, in the best of cases, distribute strategic acting across the whole organisation .

Hence, to become a better strategist, within your business, ask yourself to what extent you have been able to (i) formulate strategies, (ii) to execute it and, why not, (iii) to apply strategy all over the place.

See, I am not answering the question ‘how do I become a strategist?’ but ‘how you become a better one’. I am assuming you already are one (we all are, somehow; it’s a cognitive aspect of our intelligence and I will explain this anthropological view in other publications).

Moreover, I am assuming that your interest is for business purposes. It’s a much broader scope to discuss it aside of these limits and you may find several other instances here in my blog. I am trying to foster your way to grow in the discipline from the point you are, whatever it be.

Yes, because, doesn’t matter your level of seniority, almost all organisations need to move forward and upgrade their game in strategy. So, identify your company situation and help to enhance (i) planning routines, then move forward and improve (ii) the management of the strategic portfolio and, finally, if it is the case, (iii) lead the way to develop the culture into a dynamic strategy approach.

---

Wanna become a better strategist? Strategize.