Strategic Thinking - Competency

Organizational Skills

Business Acumen
Strategic Focus
Strategic Insight
Entrepreneurship
Company
Organizational Fluency
Fiscal Management
Planning
Vision
Global Perspective

360-Feedback Surveys Measuring Strategic Thinking:
Survey 1 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 2 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 3 (5-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 4 (5-point scale; radio buttons)
Survey 5 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 6 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 7 (5-point scale; competency comments; N/A)
Survey 8 (3-point scale; Agree/Disagree words; N/A)
Survey 9 (3-point scale; Strength/Development; N/A)
Survey 10 (Comment boxes only)
Survey 11 (Single rating per competency)
Survey 12 (Slide-bar scale)

Definition: Strategic Focus is the ability to analyze the business environment, think strategically and identify issues. To create a strategy, implement it, and lead the department/organization in adopting the changes necessary.

Strategic Analysis

Sustains or achieves a competitive advantage for the organization by analyzing the best practices and lessons learned from other organizations.
Looks for opportunities to enhance contributions to the bottom line.
Is effective in using strategic tools such as value chain analysis, business environment analysis, and competitor analysis.
Analyzes the environment to develop strategies to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Analyzes the organization's competitive advantages and threats.
Leads teams responsible for analyzing competitive weaknesses within the organization.
Addresses complex and ambiguous problems.
Considers risks and rewards when making key decisions.
Considers the implications of decisions made and possible effects on the organization.
Incorporates data to support strategic decision making.

Strategic Thinking

Understands & contributes to development of strategic goals.
Develops a strategic focus on internal factors to improve efficiency or conserve limited resources.
Develops strategies to effectively use company resources and exploit potential opportunities.
Uses strategic thinking to make better strategic decisions.
Determines the best approach to achieving desired goals.
Understands how to achieve strategic financial objectives.
Determines what actions are needed to maintain broad strategy for the department/organization.
Understands the organization's competitive advantages and threats.
Understands the position of the [Company] in the current market place and industry.

Awareness

Identifies ways in which the company is better able to meet the customers' needs than rivals.
Identifies business strategies to strengthen competitive capabilities.
Identifies the role of each department in meeting the strategic goals.
Identifies strengths that competitors would have trouble imitating.
Identifies and focuses resources on strategic growth opportunities.
Identifies sources for developing a global competitive advantage for the company.
Identifies and understands competitors in the marketplace.
Maintains a strategic focus on external factors impacting the success of the company.
Identifies areas where return on investment can be improved.
Identifies bottlenecks in the production process and develops strategies to correct these issues.
Identifies and addresses strategic risks impacting operations.

Scanning/Monitoring

Monitors performance of each market within the Area, utilizing reports to ensure sales growth, cost management, and profitability targets are met.
Recognizes the need for strategically developing unique capabilities.
Monitors company performance and makes adjustments to the strategic plan as needed.
Understands the importance of developing strategic capabilities.
Assigns individuals the responsibility of keeping track of progress toward achieving milestones.
Makes plans to handle unforeseen events that could impact the achievement of strategic goals.
Scans the environment for opportunities to exploit.
Scans both the internal and external environment to identify strategic opportunities to improve the organization.
Creates measures of performance and profitability to assess financial objectives.
Acts upon relevant information affecting the organization.

Vision/Mission/Values Statements

Aligns projects to the strategic goals of the company.
Ensures that the department's goals are strategically aligned with the company's goals.
Sets strategic objectives to be achieved.
Lets employees know how their roles contribute toward the achievement of strategic company objectives.
Develops an organizational strategy for each functional area within the mission statement.
Pursues strategic alliances with valued partners.
Understands how to grow the business and increase customers.
Creates a mission statement describing the purpose for the organization.
Inspires employees to adopt the strategic plan.
Creates values statement to ensure all employees are working under the same guiding principles.
Develops a strategic vision for the future.
Creates a vision for the organization based on how the organization should appear in the future.

Creating a Strategy

Creates plans to develop and promote organizational and area strengths, as well as to address weaknesses.
Develops a corporate strategy to establish business operations in different locations.
Creates a strategy to achieve departmental objectives.
Develops strategies to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts.
Ensures the department has a viable strategy for moving forward.
Develops a strategic plan for adapting the organization to better respond to external changes in the marketplace.
Creates a strategy to pursue and maintain a competitive advantage in business.
Develops strategies that are practical and can be feasibly implemented within a reasonable period of time.
Able to formulate strategy at the corporate level.
Determines the best strategy for achieving elevated levels of performance.
Develops a strategic plan to focus on strategic issues.
Creates strategic objectives to increase revenue and profit margins.
Develops strategies to seek new opportunities.
Creates innovative strategies.
Gives adequate consideration to the time and resources available.
Uses the organization's goals to guide (or influence) the development of goals within the department.
Creates effective and strategic plans to address issues facing the department/organization.
Determines a strategy for advancing the department.

Implementation

Communicates goals and objectives to employees.
Able to decline a poor strategy by proposing alternate strategies.
Makes sure employees understand the strategy and goals.
Effectively translates strategy into operational decisions.
Makes sure that all departments/teams are contributing toward the success of the strategy.
Strategically deploys resources to areas of the greatest need.
Reinforces the strategic messaging in various teams, meetings, seminars and workshops.
Creates deadlines for various components of the strategy.
Makes sure the objectives are clearly communicated and understood.
Successfully implements a strategic plan.
Turns strategic priorities into action plans.
Implements and executes the company's strategy for advancing production capabilities.
Coordinates the implementation of the strategy with stakeholders.
Strategically positions resources to meet the needs of field based employees.
Evaluates and reviews the implementation of the strategic plan to ensure achievement of the objectives.
Strategically positions resources to meet the needs of branch locations.
Communicates the company's strategic goals and decisions to teams and departments.
Able to communicate a broad picture, overall view, of the organization.
Communicates goals and objectives to others.
Proactively addresses problems and issues.
Executes strategies to benefit the department.
Executes strategies to benefit the organization.
Able to strategically respond to unforeseen issues.

Change

Aligns cross-functional teams to the strategic plan.
Makes quick and creative decisions to adjust the strategy to meet the demands of changing situations.
Modifies strategic decisions depending on changes in the business environment.
Maintains a strategic focus to sustain competitiveness in changing business environments.
Detects changes in the environment and updates the strategic plan to address new opportunities or threats.
Makes strategic decisions that take into account a dynamic situation.
Maintains strategic focus by regularly reviewing the strategic plan and taking corrective actions as needed to stay on track.
Exploits resources and capabilities strategically to increase production and responsiveness.
Makes strategic changes to stay ahead of changes in the business environment.
Avoids complacency and strives to be ahead of changes in the business environment.
Supports changes being recommended from senior management.
Remains vigilant of changes to the business environment and recommends new strategies as needed.

Leadership

Ensures adherence to the strategy to sustain achievement of targeted levels of organizational performance.
Effective in strategy formulation and execution.
Exhibits a strategic orientation to identify and capitalize on opportunities to advance the organization.
Crafts and executes strategies to advance the company.
Makes strategic decisions to optimize the returns on capital investments.
Strategically focuses efforts to improve operational efficiencies.
Makes decisions that yield more competitive advantages.
Focuses efforts on specific marketing strategies.
Mobilizes change through executive leadership to implement corporate strategies.
Keeps the team focused on established goals and objectives.
Says "no" to strategies that will detract from the organization's objectives.
Maintains focus on doing the best quality work even if it requires saying "no" to unnecessary, or unrelated, projects.
Shows leadership by saying "no" when necessary to effectively execute business strategy and meet long-term objectives.

SWOT Analysis

Undertakes a SWOT analysis to determine the best strategy to move forward.
Able to identify internal strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats that impact the company.
Develops high-level strategic planning models to identify opportunities to improve the company.
Creates a SWOT matrix to help analyze data.

Definition: Strategic Insight is defined as being observant, analytical and knowledgeable about factors impacting the company. Interacting with employees and customers to get a deeper understanding of problems they are facing. This insight is used to create innovative responses to meet their needs.

Observant

Recognizes the needs of customers.
Generates insights into which strategies should be followed.
Recognizes the needs of stakeholders.

Knowledgeable

Anticipates business cycles and trends and makes adjustments in a timely manner.
Formulates policies and strategies for addressing the Company's important challenges.
Maintains knowledge of current trends in the industry.
Understands how to strategically grow the business and increase customers.
Ensures that the department's goals are strategically aligned with the company's goals.

Analytical

Analyzes records and reports to obtain insight into potential issues and trends.
Analyzes unique issues or problems impacting the Company.
Uses performance measures to gain insight into possible opportunities.
Utilizes appropriate data to accurately forecast branch sales (daily, monthly, annual data)
Provides analysis of policy and strategic issues.

Communication

Communicates with employees to find out their needs.
Converses with customers and clients to get a better insight into their personal needs.
Lets employees know how their roles contribute toward the achievement of strategic company objectives.
Inspires employees to adopt the strategic plan.

Interactions

Meets with customers to gain insight into their core needs and how best to serve them.
Works with others to develop insights into the resources and actions required to produce desired results.
Pursues strategic alliances with valued partners.
Attends industry conferences to gain further insight into how other companies deal with similar issues.
Observes employees at work to get better insight into the issues they are dealing with.
Engages with diverse groups of employees and customers to develop strategic insights into the organization.

Understanding

Understands the Company's strengths and weaknesses and uses this information to create optimal solutions to problems.
Identifies potential problems before they become critical incidents.
Conducts self-assessment and regular reviews to gain further insight.
Understands how to circumvent barriors to change within the organization.
Regularly monitors budgets and deadlines to stay informed of any potential issues.
Understands how to achieve a positive outcome in various situations.
Understands how decisions impact stakeholders within the Company.
Understands how to implement changes that positively impact the Company.
Understands seasonal and cyclical trends in workload and staffs the department appropriately.

Problem Solving

Identifies root causes of problems.
Implements long-term solutions to problems.
Uses a variety of problem-solving techniques to address issues facing the Company.
Uses a variety of resources to make sound decisions.
Evaluates the effectiveness of solutions and plans
Coaches employees on how to implement problem solving techniques.

Planning

Adjusts strategic plans based on insights gathered from different points of view.
Develops a plan and strategy for each functional area within the mission statement.
Creates strategic plans to develop and promote organizational and area strengths, as well as to address weaknesses based on insight from surveys.
Sets strategic objectives to be achieved.
Uses planning tools to facilitate changes.

Creativity and Innovation

Creates strategies that significantly benefit the Company.
Creates a mission statement describing the purpose for the organization.
Creates a vision for the organization based on insights gathered from other companies in the industry.
Creates values statement to ensure all employees are working under the same guiding principles.
Develops a strategic vision for the future.

Responsive

Allocates proper resources for employee training to meet future needs based on insight into employee skill levels.
Strategically aligns projects to the goals of the company.
Responds appropriately to various types of business expansion.