From Tactics to Transformation: Encouraging Strategic Thinking 🤔

This article was first published on the American Society of Association Executive’s (ASAE) website.

Get your whole organization to move from task-based work to meaningful strategy by engaging all team members, asking focused questions, and prioritizing collaboration.

Creating an organizational strategic plan isn’t something new. According to a Forbes survey, 90% of leaders agree a strategic plan is a necessity for establishing priorities and guiding future decisions. Mastering the ability to think strategically—which supports the strategic planning process—remains a challenge, even for seasoned professionals.

Strategic thinking requires a healthy mix of critical insight, imagination, trend analysis, creativity, collaboration, and leadership—and it’s in high demand. An online search of “top skills for leaders” includes some form of strategic thinking in the responses. Yet, it’s often only practiced at the executive level, leaving staff to focus on tactical tasks.

Here are three ways to shift your team’s focus from task-based to-do lists to meaningful strategy.

Involve Everyone
Association professionals agree the strategic planning process should involve the entire organization, including the board of directors. Allowing and welcoming feedback can help identify gaps, provide transparency, and motivate staff.

Bridget Terrones, vice president of marketing and communications for the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), encourages feedback and discussion from her team and incorporates their input into the broader discussions. Member and board feedback is also taken into consideration.

“Making your team part of the process—no matter what level they sit at—is crucial for buy-in,” she said. “When team members understand the goal and how they contribute to it, they also put in more effort.”

Ask Targeted Questions
Sean Luechtefeld, who is the vice president of membership and communications for the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), guides his team through a series of questions such as identifying must-wins, which shift staff from detailing their to-do lists to a more strategic approach. This exercise also helps set expectations and determine the urgency of projects.

If employees are clear about what they are supposed to do, but not sure why they are doing it, he suggests a discussion with their manager to help ensure alignment.

“Often—especially for less experienced professionals—it can be easy to know what you’re supposed to do but difficult to understand what purpose it’s serving,” he said. “[Managers] will be thrilled to work with you to better understand the strategy that is driving the activities keeping you busy day in and day out.”

Collaborate
The strategic direction of an association impacts all departments—from advocacy, education, and events to marketing, finance, and operations. A siloed approach can lead to splintered outcomes and hinder innovation.

Luechtefeld said teamwork can spark inspiration and eliminates the dreaded “that’s the way we’ve always done it” mindset. He offers an example:

“Our communication and membership teams are collaborating to automate our member renewal campaign and being stuck in tactical thinking would have led us to carry out that campaign the way we always have,” he explains. “Thinking strategically enabled us to craft an automated process that was fully supported by technology we had already implemented.”

Benefits of Strategic Thinking
Terrones discovered that including staff in the conversation and in planning provides a chance to learn and opens up career possibilities.

“It can be hard to shift how a person thinks about their role and how it relates to the bigger picture” she says. “But it’s great practice in developing a team member and setting them up for growth in the future.”

Focusing on strategy promotes staff engagement and can reduce burnout, adds Luechtefeld.

“When we’re making good on our commitment to focus on the strategy and not the tactics, we get less overwhelmed by every little thing and focus more on things that will make a difference for our members,” he said.

Shifting from tactical to strategic thinking requires open communication, transparency, and teamwork. With consistent encouragement and practice, your staff will move beyond the to-do list and focus on long-term goals, which can lead to individual growth.