by Dorie Clark
For Harvard Business Review
Photo: Jonathan-Knowles/Getty Images
Summary.
Strategic thinking is an essential component of leadership — and yet for many leaders, it can be nearly impossible to find time for. In this piece, the author argues that there are two main barriers that keep leaders from devoting more time to strategic thinking: First, companies often incentivize long hours, and tethering yourself to your desk is rarely a recipe for innovative, strategic thinking. Second, many leaders want people to think they’re busy, so they lean into the frenzy. To fight against these external and internal pressures, remind yourself that strategic thinking doesn’t necessarily require a large time investment. You may also benefit from documenting where your time is actually going, as there may be tasks that you could easily combine defer, or outsource. Finally, start actively working to let go of the “busy = important” frame that dominates so much of our culture. Becoming more aware of the reasons you struggle to make time for strategic thinking is the first step towards overcoming them.
Almost every leader wants to make more time for strategic thinking. In one survey of 10,000 senior leaders, 97% of them said that being strategic was the leadership behavior most important to their organization’s success.
And yet in another study, a full 96% of the leaders surveyed said they lacked the time for strategic thinking. Of course, we’re all oppressed with meetings and overwhelmed with emails (an average of 126 per day, according to a Radicati Group analysis).
But leaders presumably could take at least some steps to prioritize what they claim to be an imperative. What could account for such a massive misalignment between their stated goals and their actions?
