Strategic Thinking - The Objective

Most people think reactionary.  Few think strategically.  

Reactionary thinking is often a result of not applying the lessons learned in the blog series (September 2010) on controlling the mind.  

A strategic thinker understands how other people think.  They understand how other people react and most importantly they understand how to trigger peoples choices.  This skill enables a strategic thinker to move an organization in the direction it should go or to influence people that need influencing.

Strategic thinking can be applied in more ways than just military operations.  It can be applied to working with:

1. Children
2. Spouses and extended family members
3. Employers and employees
4. Clients
5. Competitors
6. Partners
7. Donors and Charitable Organizations

 The First strategic principle is to really understand what your objective is.  I know, I know.  You think you already know your objective.  I bet you may not.

For example, most business owners think the objective is to be profitable and make money.  Most married people think the objective of their marriage is to be happy and share life together.  Parents think their objective is to raise good kids. 

That is like the Eisenhower going to FDR with his plans for D-Day and telling the president that his strategic objective is to win the war.  Too many battles have been lost due to unclear objectives.  Vietnam is a GREAT example.  These are all primary aims -not strategic objectives.

Many people go through life without clear and concise goals and objectives.  This is one reason why goal setting is so important to the achievement of ones aspirations, calls, or destinies.

Before entering negotiations; before arguing with a loved one, know what your objective is.  From there make sure it is clearly and simply defined.  Strategic Objectives are measurable.  When I reported to my commander, after an operation, I knew if I had accomplished the objective or not.

This is a simple lesson yet it is the simple things we most often neglect.  We value the more complicated.  It seems that if something is complicated and difficult we think it is the "hidden secret."  Yet this "return to the basics" concept is the foundational step in strategic thinking. 

In the next blog entry I will show you how this is done in combat and how it dramatically expanded our business.