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Questionnaire Items Measuring Strategic Focus

Strategic Focus is crucial for productivity and achieving goals. The main components of strategic focus skills include:

• Analysis: Sustaining or achieving a competitive advantage by analyzing best practices, enhancing contributions to the bottom line, using strategic tools effectively, considering risks and rewards, leading competitive analysis teams, and making data-driven decisions.
• Strategic Thinking: Understanding strategic goals, developing resource-efficient strategies, determining optimal approaches, achieving financial objectives, using strategic thinking, focusing on internal efficiency, and assessing competitive advantages and threats.
• Awareness: Identifying the critical components of strategy.
• Scanning/Monitoring: Monitors performance, scans for opportunities, develops unique capabilities, adjusts strategic plans, and ensures progress toward milestones.
• Vision/Mission/Values Statements: Creating various statements to help align employees with the goals of the organization.
• Creating a Strategy: Creating plans to enhance organizational strengths, addressing weaknesses, and formulating strategies for performance improvement. It spans corporate-level strategy formulation, seeking new opportunities, adapting to external changes, and ensuring viable departmental strategies.
• Implementation: Communicating goals, proposing alternate strategies, ensuring understanding, implementing production-focused strategies, evaluating progress, setting deadlines, aligning departments, reinforcing messaging, and strategically deploying resources.

Strategic Focus skills contribute to a manager's success by analyzing best practices, understanding risks, and making data-driven decisions, businesses can sustain or achieve a competitive advantage. This involves using tools like value chain analysis and competitor analysis. These skills help develop resource-efficient strategies, achieve financial objectives, and assess competitive advantages of different strategies. Strategic thinking helps organizations adapt to changes and stay competitive by formulating plans to enhance strengths, address weaknesses, and adapt to external changes ensure long-term success. Communication skills and administrative skills such as setting deadlines, and deploying resources strategically lead to effective execution.

360-Degree Feedback Questionnaire Items

The Strategic Focus competency in a 360-Degree Feedback assessment includes items measuring the ability to be aware of the environment and to analyze and think strategically.



Strategic Analysis

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

Strategic Thinking

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

Awareness

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

Scanning/Monitoring

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

Vision/Mission/Values Statements

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

Creating a Strategy

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

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

Change

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

Leadership

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

SWOT Analysis

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

Employee Opinion Survey Items

Strategic Analysis

• The project leader is effective in using strategic tools such as value chain analysis, business environment analysis, and competitor analysis.
• My supervisor leads teams responsible for analyzing competitive weaknesses within the organization.
• Our manager addresses complex and ambiguous problems.
• My supervisor considers risks and rewards when making key decisions.
• My division analyzes the environment to develop strategies to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace.
• My manager analyzes the organization's competitive advantages and threats.
• Our team sustains or achieves a competitive advantage for the organization by analyzing the best practices and lessons learned from other organizations.
• The project leader incorporates data to support strategic decision making.
• Leaders look for opportunities to enhance contributions to the bottom line.
• My team leader considers the implications of decisions made and possible effects on the organization.

Strategic Thinking

• Leaders understand & contribute to development of strategic goals.
• My manager understands the position of the [company] in the current market place and industry.
• My manager determines what actions are needed to maintain broad strategy for the department/organization.
• Our team develops strategies to effectively use company resources and exploit potential opportunities.
• Our manager understands the organization's competitive advantages and threats.
• Senior executives understand how to achieve strategic financial objectives.
• Employees in my department develop a strategic focus on internal factors to improve efficiency or conserve limited resources.
• The project manager uses strategic thinking to make better strategic decisions.
• The department head determines the best approach to achieving desired goals.

Awareness

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

Scanning/Monitoring

• Leaders scan both the internal and external environment to identify strategic opportunities to improve the organization.
• The project lead understands the importance of developing strategic capabilities.
• My supervisor assigns individuals the responsibility of keeping track of progress toward achieving milestones.
• Senior executives monitor company performance and make adjustments to the strategic plan as needed.
• Our team monitors performance of each market within the area, utilizing reports to ensure sales growth, cost management, and profitability targets are met.
• The project manager makes plans to handle unforeseen events that could impact the achievement of strategic goals.
• Our manager creates measures of performance and profitability to assess financial objectives.
• Supervisors recognize the need for strategically developing unique capabilities.
• My team scans the environment for opportunities to exploit.
• My team acts upon relevant information affecting the organization.

Vision/Mission/Values Statements

• Senior executives create a vision for the organization based on how the organization should appear in the future.
• Managers set strategic objectives to be achieved.
• My manager lets employees know how their roles contribute toward the achievement of strategic company objectives.
• Supervisors create a values statement to ensure all employees are working under the same guiding principles.
• Leaders develop an organizational strategy for each functional area within the mission statement.
• The project manager aligns projects to the strategic goals of the company.
• Senior executives understand how to grow the business and increase customers.
• Our manager ensures that the department's goals are strategically aligned with the company's goals.
• My supervisor inspires employees to adopt the strategic plan.
• Senior executives create a mission statement describing the purpose for the organization.
• The department head pursues strategic alliances with valued partners.
• Supervisors develop a strategic vision for the future.

Creating a Strategy

• My team develops strategies to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts.
• My team leader develops strategies that are practical and can be feasibly implemented within a reasonable period of time.
• My manager creates a strategy to achieve departmental objectives.
• My manager determines a strategy for advancing the department.
• Managers develop a corporate strategy to establish business operations in different locations.
• The project manager develops strategies to seek new opportunities.
• The supervisor gives adequate consideration to the time and resources available.
• Our manager creates plans to develop and promote organizational and area strengths, as well as to address weaknesses.
• The team leader determines the best strategy for achieving elevated levels of performance.
• Managers develop a strategic plan for adapting the organization to better respond to external change in the marketplace.
• My manager creates effective and strategic plans to address issues facing the department/organization.
• My manager ensures the department has a viable strategy for moving forward.
• My team uses the organization's goals to guide (or influence) the development of goals within the department.
• Our manager is able to formulate strategy at the corporate level.
• My division creates strategic objectives to increase revenue and profit margins.
• My supervisor creates innovative strategies.
• Our department creates a strategy to pursue and maintain a competitive advantage in business.
• The project leader develops a strategic plan to focus on strategic issues.

Implementation

• My department evaluates and reviews the implementation of the strategic plan to ensure achievement of the objectives.
• My supervisor is able to decline a poor strategy by proposing alternate strategies.
• Supervisors create deadlines for various components of the strategy.
• I know how to translate strategy into operational decisions.
• My manager communicates the company's strategic goals and decisions to teams and departments.
• The supervisor strategically positions resources to meet the needs of field based employees.
• Our manager executes strategies to benefit the department.
• Managers strategically deploy resources to areas of the greatest need.
• My manager communicates goals and objectives to employees.
• My team leader communicates goals and objectives to others.
• Our department turns strategic priorities into action plans.
• The project manager implements and executes the company's strategy for advancing production capabilities.
• Operations managers strategically positions resources to meet the needs of branch locations.
• Our department reinforces the strategic messaging in various teams, meetings, seminars and workshops.
• Managers make sure employees understand the strategy and goals.
• Supervisors make sure the objectives are clearly communicated and understood.
• Our department addresses problems and issues.
• Employees at the company are able to strategically respond to unforeseen issues.
• Managers coordinate the implementation of the strategy with stakeholders.
• The department head executes strategies to benefit the organization.
• Managers make sure that all departments/teams are contributing toward the success of the corporate strategy.
• Senior executives are able to communicate a broad picture, overall view, of the organization.
• The department head implements a strategic plan.

Change

• My team leader makes quick and creative decisions to adjust the strategy to meet the demands of changing situations.
• My team leader supports changes being recommended from senior management.
• My supervisor maintains strategic focus by regularly reviewing the strategic plan and taking corrective actions as needed to stay on track.
• My manager aligns cross-functional teams to the strategic plan.
• My manager remains vigilant of changes to the business environment and recommends new strategies as needed.
• Leaders make strategic decisions that take into account a dynamic situation.
• Managers detect change in the environment and update the strategic plan to address new opportunities or threats.
• The project manager exploits resources and capabilities strategically to increase production and responsiveness.
• Our team makes strategic changes to stay ahead of changes in the business environment.
• Managers maintain a strategic focus to sustain competitiveness in changing business environments.
• The members of my team modify strategic decisions depending on change in the business environment.
• Our department avoids complacency and strives to be ahead of changes in the business environment.

Leadership

• Supervisors ensure adherence to the strategy to sustain achievement of targeted level of organizational performance.
• Our department keeps the team focused on established goals and objectives.
• Team leaders craft and execute strategies to advance the company.
• Executives mobilize change through leadership to implement corporate strategies.
• Supervisors exhibit a strategic orientation to identify and capitalize on opportunities to advance the organization.
• The project manager makes strategic decisions to optimize the returns on capital investments.
• My division says "no" to strategies that will detract from the organization's objectives.
• My manager strategically focuses efforts to improve operational efficiencies.
• My team leader focuses efforts on specific marketing strategies.
• Our department is effective in strategy formulation and execution.
• My manager makes decisions that yield more competitive advantages.

SWOT Analysis

• The team leader develops high-level strategic planning models to identify opportunities to improve the company.
• My manager creates a SWOT matrix to help analyze data.
• Supervisors undertake a SWOT analysis to determine the best strategy to move forward.
• Senior executives are able to identify internal strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats that impact the company.

Self-Assessment Items

Strategic Analysis

• You sustain or achieves a competitive advantage for the organization by analyzing the best practices and lessons learned from other organizations.
• You look for opportunities to enhance contributions to the bottom line.
• I analyze the environment and develop strategies to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace.
• I am effective in using strategic tools such as value chain analysis, business environment analysis, and competitor analysis.
• You lead teams responsible for analyzing competitive weaknesses within the organization.
• You consider the implications of decisions made and possible effects on the organization.
• You address complex and ambiguous problems.
• You consider risks and reward when making key decisions.
• You incorporate data to support strategic decision making.
• You analyze the organization's competitive advantages and threats.

Strategic Thinking

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

Awareness

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

Scanning/Monitoring

• You monitor performance of each market within the Area, utilizing reports to ensure sales growth, cost management, and profitability targets are met.
• Yoy scan both the internal and external environment to identify strategic opportunities to improve the organization.
• You recognize the need for strategically developing unique capabilities.
• I understand the importance of developing strategic capabilities.
• You assign individuals the responsibility of keeping track of progress toward achieving milestones.
• I make plans to handle unforeseen events that could impact the achievement of strategic goals.
• I create measures of performance and profitability to assess financial objectives.
• You scan the environment for opportunities to exploit.
• I monitor company performance and make adjustments to the strategic plan as needed.
• You act upon relevant information affecting the organization.

Vision/Mission/Values Statements

• You align projects to the strategic goals of the company.
• You understand how to grow the business and increase customers.
• You set strategic objectives to be achieved.
• You ensure that the department's goals are strategically aligned with the company's goals.
• You let employees know how their roles contribute toward the achievement of strategic company objectives.
• I develop a strategic vision for the future.
• You create values statements to ensure all employees are working under the same guiding principles.
• I inspire employees to adopt the strategic plan.
• I pursue strategic alliances with valued partners.
• You create a mission statement describing the purpose for the organization.
• You develop an organizational strategy for each functional area within the mission statement.
• I create a vision for the organization based on how the organization should appear in the future.

Creating a Strategy

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

Implementation

• You communicate goals and objectives to employees.
• You are able to decline a poor strategy by proposing alternate strategies.
• You make sure employees understand the strategy and goals.
• I can successfully implement a strategic plan.
• You make sure the objectives are clearly communicated and understood.
• I make sure that all departments/teams are contributing toward the success of the strategy.
• You coordinate the implementation of the strategy with stakeholders.
• I implement and execute the company's strategy for advancing production capabilities.
• You strategically deploy resources to areas of the greatest need.
• You evaluate and review the implementation of the strategic plan to ensure achievement of the objectives.
• You turn strategic priorities into action plans.
• You effectively translate strategy into operational decisions.
• You create deadlines for various components of the strategy.
• I strategically position resources to meet the needs of branch locations.
• You strategically position resources to meet the needs of field based employees.
• You reinforce the strategic messaging in various teams, meetings, seminars and workshops.
• I communicate the company's strategic goals and decisions to teams and departments.
• You are able to communicate a broad picture, overall view, of the organization.
• You communicate goals and objectives to others.
• You execute strategies to benefit the department.
• You are able to strategically respond to unforeseen issues.
• You execute strategies to benefit the organization.
• You proactively address problems and issues.

Change

• You make quick and creative decisions to adjust the strategy to meet the demands of changing situations.
• You avoid complacency and strives to be ahead of changes in the business environment.
• make strategic decisions that take into account a dynamic situation.
• I detect changes in the environment and updates the strategic plan to address new opportunities or threats.
• I align cross-functional teams to the strategic plan.
• I maintain strategic focus by regularly reviewing the strategic plan and taking corrective actions as needed to stay on track.
• I modified strategic decisions depending on changes in the business environment.
• You support changes being recommended from senior management.
• I maintain a strategic focus to sustain competitiveness in changing business environments.
• You make strategic changes to stay ahead of changes in the business environment.
• I exploit resources and capabilities to strategically increase production and responsiveness.
• You remains vigilant of changes to the business environment and recommend new strategies as needed.

Leadership

• I ensure adherence to the strategy to sustain achievement of targeted levels of organizational performance.
• I mobilize change through executive leadership to implement corporate strategies.
• You exhibit a strategic orientation to identify and capitalize on opportunities to advance the organization.
• I strategically focus efforts to improve operational efficiencies.
• You caft and execute strategies to advance the company.
• I make strategic decisions to optimize the returns on capital investments.
• You focus efforts on specific marketing strategies.
• You make decisions that yield more competitive advantages.
• I am effective in strategy formulation and execution.
• You maintain focus on doing the best quality work even if it requires saying "no" to unnecessary, or unrelated, projects.
• You show leadership by saying "no" when necessary to effectively execute business strategy and meet long-term objectives.
• You say "no" to strategies that will detract from the organization's objectives.
• You keep the team focused on established goals and objectives.

SWOT Analysis

• You create a SWOT matrix to help analyze data.
• I develop high-level strategic planning models to identify opportunities to improve the company.
• I undertake a SWOT analysis to determine the best strategy to move forward.
• You are able to identify internal strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats that impact the company.

Job Interview Questions

Strategic Analysis

• Describe a time when you had to consider risks and rewards when making key decisions.
• Tell me about a time when you had to address a complex and ambiguous problem?
• Have you used strategic tools such as value chain analysis, business environment analysis, and competitor analysis?
• How would you look for opportunities to enhance contributions to the bottom line?
• How would you analyze the business environment to develop strategies to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace?
• Decision making is often based on an analysis of data. Give an example of how you would use data to support strategic decision making. What data would you use?
• Explain how you would consider the implications of decisions made and possible effects on the organization.
• Understanding areas where our organization needs to improve is important. Have you led teams responsible for analyzing competitive weaknesses within an organization?
• You can learn a lot by analyzing the best practices of other organizations. Give an example of when you sustained or achieved a competitive advantage for the organization by understanding the best practices of other organizations.
• Competitive advantages and threats affect every organization. Explain how you would analyze our organization's competitive advantages and threats.

Strategic Thinking

• Tell me about a time when you had to place a strategic focus on internal factors to improve efficiency or conserve limited resources?
• Give an example of when you had to develop strategies to effectively use company resources or exploit potential opportunities?
• How have you contributed to development of strategic goals?
• How would you use strategic thinking to make better strategic decisions?
• Organizations may have strategic objectives related to finance--such as revenue goals or budget limitations. Explain how you would try to achieve strategic financial objectives.
• If you department/organization had a broad strategy that needed to be maintained (continued), how would you determine what actions are needed to maintain that strategy?
• How do you determine the best approach to achieving desired goals?
• Every organization has competitive advantages and threats. How would you describe our organization's competitive advantages and threats?

Awareness

• We compete for customers in a marketplace. Are you familiar with our business? How would you identify business strategies to strengthen our competitive capabilities?
• Our competitors are always trying to imitate us. How would you identify strengths that competitors would have trouble imitating?
• How would you identify the role of each department in meeting the strategic goals?
• How would you identify sources for developing a global competitive advantage for the company?
• How would you identify and address strategic risks impacting our operations?
• Tell me about how you would identify and understand competitors in the marketplace?
• Return on investment is important. How would you identify areas where return on investment can be improved?
• We pride ourselves on our ability to meet the needs of our customers. How would you identify ways in which the company is better able to meet the customers' needs than rivals?
• Strategic growth opportunities ensure that we continue to be in business. How would you identify and focus resources on our strategic growth opportunities?
• Sometimes bottlenecks occur in production processes. How would you identify bottlenecks in the production process and develops strategies to correct these issues?

Scanning/Monitoring

• Describe an instance in which you acted upon relevant strategic information affecting the organization.
• How do you scan the environment for opportunities to exploit?
• Give an example of how you would make plans to handle unforeseen events that could impact the achievement of strategic goals.
• Explain the importance of developing strategic capabilities.
• Describe how you would scan both the internal and external environment to identify strategic opportunities to improve the organization.
• How would you monitor performance of each market within the Area, utilizing reports to ensure sales growth, cost management, and profitability targets are met?
• Give an example of when you recognized the need for strategically developing unique capabilities.
• Did you ever assign individuals the responsibility of keeping track of progress toward achieving strategic milestones?
• Did you create measures of performance and profitability to assess financial objectives?
• Describe how you monitored company performance and made adjustments to the strategic plan as needed.

Vision/Mission/Values Statements

• Tell me about a time when you had to ensure that your department's goals were strategically aligned with the company's goals.
• Can you create a mission statement describing the purpose for the organization? What would it contain?
• A values statement helps ensure all employees are working under the same guiding principles. How would you create a values statement to ensure all employees are working under the same guiding principles?
• Employees need to know how they contribute to the organization. How would you let employees know how their roles contribute toward the achievement of strategic company objectives.
• Sometimes having partners adds value. There are other companies that could be strategic partners with us. Explain how you would pursue strategic alliances with valued partners.
• A strategic vision is a statement about what the company should look like in the future. How would you develop a strategic vision statement for our company?
• Explain how we should grow the business and increase customers.
• How would you create a vision for the organization based on how the organization should appear in the future?
• Describe how you would set strategic objectives to be achieved.
• Describe how you would develop an organizational strategy for each functional area within the mission statement.
• Sometimes employees may need a little push to accept a new strategic plan. Have you ever had to inspire employees to adopt a new strategic plan?
• It is important that projects you are working on support the company in some way. How would you align projects to the strategic goals of the company?

Creating a Strategy

• The work of a department should support the organization. How would you use the organization's goals to guide (or influence) the development of goals within the department?
• How would you develop strategies to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts?
• Finding new business opportunities can significantly impact the business in a positive way. Describe how you would develop strategies to seek new business opportunities.
• To be successful, a strategy should be practical and easy to implement. How do you develop strategies that are practical and can be feasibly implemented within a reasonable period of time?
• Have you had the chance to create plans to develop and promote organizational and area strengths, as well as to address weaknesses?
• Give an example of a time when you developed a strategic plan to focus on strategic issues.
• We need to expand our business into new locations. How would you develop a corporate strategy to establish business operations in different locations?
• Describe how you would determine a strategy for advancing the department.
• Tell me about a time when you had to create a strategy to achieve departmental objectives.
• How would you ensure the department has a viable strategy for moving forward?
• Describe a time when you had to create an innovative strategy. How did you do it?
• Increasing performance is a primary concern. How do you determine the best strategy for achieving elevated levels of performance?
• Explain how you created effective and strategic plans to address issues facing the department/organization.
• How can you create a strategy to pursue and maintain a competitive advantage in business?
• Describe some examples in which you created strategic objectives to increase revenue or profit margins.
• Strategies may be created at the department, division, or corporate levels. Describe when you were asked to formulate strategy at the corporate level? What did you do?
• Companies often have to deal with limitations on the amount of time or resources available for a project. Give examples of how you gave strategic considerations to the time and resources available for projects that you worked on.
• The market place is constantly changing and these changes impact our business. Describe how you would develop a strategic plan for adapting the organization to better respond to external changes in the marketplace.

Implementation

• How would you make sure employees understand the strategy and goals?
• Do you have an example of when you declined a poor strategy by proposing alternate strategies?
• Explain how you would proactively address problems and issues.
• Tell me about a time when you had to communicate goals and objectives to others.
• Have you successfully implemented a strategic plan?
• How would you evaluate and review the implementation of the strategic plan to ensure achievement of the objectives?
• How do you communicate goals and objectives to employees?
• How would you coordinate the implementation of a strategy with stakeholders?
• Explain how you would turn strategic priorities into action plans?
• Sometimes events or problems occur when you least expect them. Describe an example of how you strategically responded to unforeseen issues.
• How would you execute strategies to benefit the organization?
• Describe when you implemented and executed the company's strategy for advancing production capabilities.
• Deadlines are often useful for measuring progress. Have you created deadlines for various components of a strategy?
• Describe how you would effectively translate strategy into operational decisions.
• Explain how you would make sure that all departments/teams are contributing toward the success of the strategy.
• Reinforcing a message helps people to understand it better. Describe how you would reinforce the strategic messaging in various teams, meetings, seminars and workshops.
• Have you executed strategies to benefit the department?
• How do you strategically deploy resources to areas of the greatest need?
• Give an example of how you communicated the company's strategic goals and decisions to teams and departments.
• Branch locations need various resources to maintain operations. Explain how you would strategically position resources to meet the needs of branch locations.
• Being able to communicate the strategy is a key factor in implementing strategies. Describe how you would communicate a broad picture, overall view, of the organization's strategy?
• Do you have examples of when you strategically positioned resources to meet the needs of field based employees?
• It is important that people understand their objectives. How do you make sure the objectives are clearly communicated and understood?

Change

• Have you ever detected changes in the environment and updated the strategic plan to address new opportunities or threats?
• Describe how you would modify strategic decisions depending on changes in the business environment.
• How would you align cross-functional teams to the strategic plan?
• Describe how you would maintain a strategic focus to sustain competitiveness in changing business environments.
• How do you remain vigilant of changes to the business environment and recommend new strategies as needed?
• Give examples of when you had to make strategic changes to stay ahead of changes in the business environment.
• Give an example of how you would regularly review the strategic plan and take corrective actions as needed to stay on track.
• Do you make quick and creative decisions to adjust the strategy to meet the demands of changing situations? Explain.
• Do you make strategic decisions that take into account a dynamic situation?
• Explain how you would exploit resources and capabilities strategically to increase production and responsiveness.
• Give examples of when you supported changes being recommended from senior management?
• How do you avoid complacency and strives to be ahead of changes in the business environment?

Leadership

• Give an example of when you had to maintain focus on doing the best quality work even if it required saying "no" to unnecessary, or unrelated, projects.
• How do you mobilize change through executive leadership to implement corporate strategies?
• Have you exhibited a strategic orientation to identify and capitalize on opportunities to advance the organization?
• How do you ensure adherence to the strategy to sustain achievement of targeted levels of organizational performance?
• How do you make decisions that yield more competitive advantages?
• Have you been effective in strategy formulation and execution?
• Describe how you would keep the team focused on established goals and objectives.
• How do you say "no" when necessary to effectively execute business strategy and meet long-term objectives?
• Describe how you would focus efforts on specific marketing strategies.
• How do you craft and execute strategies to advance the company?
• How do you strategically focus efforts to improve operational efficiencies?
• Explain how you make strategic decisions to optimize the returns on capital investments.
• How would you say "no" to strategies that will detract from the organization's objectives?

SWOT Analysis

• Describe how you would develop high-level strategic planning models to identify opportunities to improve the company.
• How do you identify internal strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats that impact the company?
• Have you undertook a SWOT analysis to determine the best strategy to move forward?
• Have you created a SWOT matrix to help analyze data?

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