Being strategic

Being strategic is a way of thinking and acting that can be applied on an everyday basis, not just when your organisation is undertaking a formal strategic planning process.

Being strategic involves:

• Having a clear understanding of your organisation’s mission and current strategy.
• The ability to implement the organisation’s strategy through appropriate work plans.
• Considering your current capacity as well as thinking about the medium to long term.
• Seeing the big picture: taking into account your operating environment and your current and potential stakeholders and competitors.
• Weighing up options and making informed decisions.

A key leadership skill

Thinking strategically is a key skill which features in several modules of the Management and Leadership National Occupational Standards.

Fostering an organisational culture which values these skills and enables all members of its team to develop and use them, is itself a sign of strong leadership.

A strategic culture

Empowering everyone in the organisation - from trustees to staff and volunteers - to be strategic, can help achieve the right balance between enabling innovative approaches to flourish, and safe-guarding against risk.