Understanding strategic thinking

A half-day workshop

With the current constraint on budgets and resources, and the need to develop new and robust services for the future, innovative thinking is particularly important, especially in the public sector.

Throughout this highly interactive session, boards have the chance to hone their strategic thinking skills in a collaborative and open learning environment. It allows participants to evaluate their performance, addressing any weaknesses, and permits a deeper understanding of how imaginative thinking can improve boardroom effectiveness.

Objectives

Learning objectives

This workshop will help you to:

  • Develop your ability and confidence to think strategically
  • Think about what strategic thinking means in practice and why it is important
  • Consider the essential link between policy and strategy, what the strategy needs to achieve and the perspectives of stakeholders who have an interest in success
  • Learn practical tools and techniques which can be applied immediately
  • Practise using these in order to build your confidence in applying them

Audience

Who should attend?

This workshop has been designed primarily for directors (and those shortly to be appointed to the board). It delivers maximum benefit when the entire board takes part.

Format

Format

  • Usually delivered as a half-day session
  • For individual directors, can be run on a one-to-one basis if required (this works best as a series of bite-sized sessions, the first face-to-face and the others virtual)

Special features

Special features

This session can be tailored to meet your specific requirements. You can choose to follow the agenda set out below or you can talk it through with the trainer and set a new one. The choice is yours.

Meet the trainer

Meet the trainer

David is a very popular trainer and an experienced consultant in strategy development and commercial performance, for the public, VCSE and private sectors.

Agenda

1 An introduction to strategic thinking

  • The attributes of a strategic thinker
  • The habits of a strategic thinker
  • Policy and strategy – the relationship
  • Types of future and how we can influence them

2 Strategic position and strategic capacity

  • Strategic environment and critical success factors
  • Developing and managing capability
  • Practical exercises

3 Strategic purpose, stakeholders and culture

  • Stakeholder needs
  • Ownership and influences
  • Developing a culture that will deliver – strategic incrementalism and strategic drift
  • Practical exercises

4 Strategic action

  • Strategic leadership
  • Strategic development
  • Strategic organisation
  • Action plans

For a no-obligation discussion about running this programme for your organisation on an in-house basis, just give us a call on 01582 463465.