Ever find yourself wondering why some teams seem to nail their strategies, while others feel stuck in the weeds? If you’re leading a team that’s hyper-focused on short-term tasks, getting them to think strategically can seem like a big shift.

But it doesn’t have to be.

In my work with founders, I’ve found that small, intentional changes can dramatically improve how teams approach strategic thinking. Here are three simple ways to help your team see the bigger picture.

Teach your team to embrace a broader perspective

Market dynamics are constantly evolving, and strategic thinking requires taking a step back and considering the wider landscape.

Help your team understand the broader context by asking questions like: What are the external trends that might impact our marketing approach? What are the changes in technology, access to data, regulations, buyers’ behaviors or buyers’ beliefs that may impact us?

You can also introduce regular "big picture" review sessions, where your team discusses how their work fits into the larger company goals.

Example: Google swiftly responded to the European Union’s Right to Repair regulations, which mandate that companies make products easier to repair and provide access to spare parts and repair guides. Google’s circularity principles focus on “designing out waste from the start, keeping materials in use for as long as possible, and promoting healthy materials—for our data centers, workplaces, and products”.

*Credit: Google Environmental Report 2023*

Draw parallels to similar situations

Encourage your team to look beyond their current tasks and find similarities in other contexts. This approach helps them apply lessons from past experiences to solve present challenges or explain innovative technologies simply.

Example: While biotech can be intimidating for investors or new hires, Industrial Microbes explains its biomanufacturing process using parallels with whiskey brewing. Much like how yeast is used in the fermentation process to convert sugars into alcohol when making whiskey, the company leverages genetically engineered microbes to convert waste or renewable into biobased chemicals. This parallel makes synbio innovations easier to grasp.

Go deep into the struggles of your customers

The Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework empowers teams to think more strategically by shifting the focus from product features to the underlying goals and motivations of customers. By identifying the true "job" a customer is trying to accomplish—whether it's functional, emotional, or social—teams can uncover deeper insights into customer behavior and unmet needs. This strategic perspective not only informs product development but also helps refine messaging, uncover new market opportunities, and assess competition from a broader lens.

Apply systems thinking

Systems thinking involves understanding how different parts of a system interact and influence one another. Encourage your team to adopt this mindset to better anticipate the ripple effects of their decisions and actions.

Example: McKinsey provides an overview progress in biotech by dividing the space into four arenas of biological innovation: Biomolecules, Biosystems, Biomachine interfaces, and Biocomputing. These arenas represent breakthroughs in biological science, driven by the integration of computing, automation, and AI.

Use mental models

To help your team develop stronger strategic thinking skills, consider introducing them to a set of mental models. These frameworks are designed to simplify complex situations, enhance decision-making, and provide new perspectives. Below are some key models that can support this shift in thinking:

First principles thinking: This model encourages teams to break down complex problems into their most basic elements, then rebuild from there. By focusing on core truths, teams can move beyond assumptions and conventional methods to find innovative solutions. This is particularly useful in strategic planning, as it enables fresh, creative approaches to problems that might otherwise be solved in a routine manner.

Example: SpaceX uses First Principles Thinking to challenge the traditional assumptions of the space industry. Instead of accepting that launching rockets is inherently expensive, SpaceX rethought the entire process of rocket production and reusability, which led to the Falcon 9—the first reusable rocket to significantly reduce costs in space travel.

Second-order thinking: Considering the long-term impacts of decisions helps teams avoid unintended consequences. Strategic thinkers often go beyond the immediate outcomes and consider how decisions might ripple through the system over time. This type of thinking fosters a more comprehensive approach to planning and action.
Inversion: This model is a powerful tool for strategic thinking, as it encourages teams to approach problems by thinking backward from a desired outcome. By identifying what needs to be avoided or what could go wrong, teams can develop strategies to prevent failure and focus on paths to success.
Probabilistic thinking: Estimating the likelihood of different outcomes helps teams make more informed decisions. In strategic contexts, this model is crucial for risk assessment and scenario planning, allowing teams to prioritize options based on potential impact and probability.

Conclusion

While teams often focus on execution, leaders must make time to practice strategic thinking and guide their teams in scaling up to a more strategic level. By using tools and models, they can better analyze scenarios and develop strategies that align with their goals, navigate change and uncertainty and build smarter and more agile organizations.

How to help your team think more strategically