Strategic leaders question prevailing assumptions and consider alternative approaches.
Illustration by hikingartist.com

A strategic mindset is the difference between leading decisively and “swimming in circles,” even when faced with constant change and increasing uncertainty.

Occasionally the leadership message boards I subscribe to online reveal a golden nugget that fits directly into the zone of thought leadership. Paul J.H. Schoemaker from the Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania recently published this piece on the “6 Habits of True Strategic Leaders.” Schoemaker defines these habits as:

• Anticipate
• Think Critically
• Interpret
• Decide
• Align
• Learn

What habits help you step back from the day-to-day demands of leadership and analyze the bigger picture? Fill in the list with additional habits of your own by sharing them with others in the comments section. And my own foundational habits? They are “Ask, assess, then act.”