Strategically Speaking: The Top 12 Strategic and Systems Thinking Mistakes (Identifying Problems)

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Strategically Speaking: The Top 12 Strategic and Systems Thinking Mistakes (Identifying Problems)
June 19, 2009
Updated August 2009 Welcome to this online "Strategically Speaking" monthly column on the 50 years of scientific research on the unity of science for living systems: Systems Thinking—and its universal strategic and daily application to all aspects of your work and life. You will learn simple new tools and tips on how to use less analytical and piecemeal thinking and more Strategic Thinking on a day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month, and year-to-year basis.

By Stephen Haines

My columns over the next 12 months will examine the "12 Common Analytical Thinking Mistakes" most people, teams, and organizations make and the corresponding best practices and simple antidotes.

Mark this page to your favorites, and check back here each month to read them all.

Strategically Speaking: Strategic Thinking Problem #9: Thinking we know how to personally handle change successfully.Strategic Thinking Best Practice: Self-consciousness, self-mastery, and the ability to control ourselves is task No. 1. "Self-control, versus emotional or autopilot decision-making, is key to good leadership."

Strategically Speaking Problem #8: Thinking we know what strategic planning is and how to do it well. Reinventing strategic planning into strategic management is the No. 2 core competency of successful organizations.

Strategically Speaking Problem: #7: Thinking we know how to lead and manage our unit or department. A three-year business plan should be a requirement for all staff departments and line business units.

Strategically Speaking: Mistake No. 6: Thinking that we know the answers to WIIFM (What's In It for Me)
Issues resolution and project management require a systems approach.

Strategically Speaking: Mistake No. 5: Thinking We Know How to Identify and Solve Problems
Problem identification requires backwards thinking and then gap analysis.

Mistake No. 4: How Does What We Do Fit into the Bigger Picture?
It's time to take a helicopter view of life and work.

Mistake No. 3: Is Cultural Change a Series of Separate Initiatives?
How do organizations change? The truth of it is that organizations change when people change.

Mistake No. 2: Not Planning and Budgeting
Many organizations do annual planning and budgeting as a yearly ritual. It is not that this is wrong, just that it is necessary but not sufficient for success.

Mistake No. 1: Leadership Development
Is "Leadership Development" a list of skills to be learned? Or are there different levels of competencies that need to be mastered?

The Power of Systems Thinking Best Practices Research
The process of THINKING has been extended from analytic and piecemeal/silo thinking to Systems Thinking and is now becoming mainstream in business as a better and more successful way to function.

Stephen G. Haines (www.StephenHaines.com) is founder and CEO of the Haines Centre for Strategic Management: The World Leaders in Strategic Management: Powered by Systems Thinking (www.HainesCentre.com).

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