Welcome to The Playground, where we activate strategic thinking.

This innovative learning experience helps leaders flex their strategic thinking muscles and apply strategic thinking frameworks to the real business challenges they face.

Designed for leaders at every level who want the opportunity to step into a strategic mindset, The Strategic Playground is an immersive development experience that reconnects leaders with their strategic potential. This customizable program, offered in bite-sized half-day interactive workshops, empowers organizations to build their strategic bench through a mix of frameworks, peer learning exercises, and group discussions.

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Watch and EXPERIENCE the Playground…

Program Description

The Strategic Playground is an immersive learning experience that helps strategic leaders reconnect with their strategic side while helping middle managers access tools and innovative methods proven to help you think more strategically.  

Who should attend?

  • Leaders who feel like all they do is put out fires and never get a chance to think strategically.

  • High potentials who hear they need to be more strategic and are looking for ways to develop those skills

  • L&D professionals who identify learning and development programs to help upskill leaders and teams

  • Team Leaders who want to increase their team’s innovation, encourage fresh ideas and viewpoints and want to build their bench strength.

When you leave The Strategic Playground, you’ll have a new understanding about:

  • What strategic thinking is and what it isn’t.

  • Factors that keep us from stepping into a strategic mindset, even when we want to.

  • How to ask the right questions and frame a challenge to unlock different possible solutions.

  • Which frameworks and tools can help you step into a strategic mindset and generate new and unexpected ideas.

 (And it’s called a “Playground” for a really good reason; it’s fun, interactive, engaging and will challenge you to think in a completely different way.)

Module Outline

  • In this engaging module, we'll delve into the art and science of strategic thinking, empowering you to overcome common barriers and cultivate a strategic mindset. Explore the pitfalls that hinder strategic thinking, including biases, assumptions. and reactive problem-solving tendencies. Master powerful questioning techniques to gather valuable insights and expand your strategic perspective. Harness the power of stakeholder engagement to enrich your strategic thinking with diverse perspectives. Leverage a strategic challenge framework to effectively frame challenges, enhance communication and focus problem-solving efforts. By the.end of this module, participants will be equipped with the tools and mindset to tackle complex challenges strategically and drive organizational success.

  • Participants are equipped with a collection of decision-making frameworks to confidently make better strategic choices and are introduced to a variety of decision-making frameworks. Participants examine each framework, appreciating the strengths and use of each tool, and then apply their knowledge in an interactive exercise, identifying the most suitable frameworks for specific situations and considering what audiences may appreciate each. Participants consider how each these frameworks may help them strengthen their approach to their own strategic challenges

  • Challenging hidden assumptions and biases in thinking is key to unlocking more innovation and creativity. Participants will build their analytical skills and learn to frame their challenges through the lens of current trends from an outside-in perspective. The module introduces a range of powerful concepts, including The Arena Map, PESTLE Analysis, Game Theory, and Time Zero Analysis. providing participants with the tools to identify and eliminate silos, recognize, and challenge assumptions and biases. generate fresh perspectives to achieve their strategic goals.

  • For strategic thinking to make an impact, it must drive action. This module introduces practical tools to help participants translate their strategic thinking into actionable plans. Participants will delve into multiple strategic action planning frameworks that help identify areas for innovation and growth, anticipate and plan for potential challenges and opportunities, and encourage creativity and innovative ideas for effective actions. Participants will build skills that help them identify strategic options. prioritize actions, and navigate critical next steps translating strategic thinking into tangible results.

  • Identifying patterns in data, being able to develop and leverage insights from stakeholders, and building a deep understanding of business context - and bringing an analytical approach to problem solving is key to making sound strategic decisions. Participants will learn approaches to gathering and reviewing important data and information and approach challenges with greater business acumen for a more strategic approach.

  • Strategic thinking requires organic reinforcement in an environment that rewards. recognizes and continuously encourages strategic thinking at every level. Leaders and individual contributors at every level will learn strategies to cultivate a culture of strategic thinking within their organization. We'll explore the difference in impact between functional leaders and business leaders and will discuss practical approaches to evaluate a team's current strategic acumen and how to develop personalized growth plans and organic teachable moments that reinforce a team's strategic thinking capabilities so the organization can continuously develop better strategic thinking skills.

Mary Rapaport

Creator of the Strategic Playground Workshop and the Chief Xceleration Officer at Xcelerate, LLC.

Mary Rapaport is on a mission to democratize strategic thinking. She believes it's not just for the elite few, but for everyone in an organization. When everyone channels a strategic mindset, the business culture thrives, teams become more creative, and employees lean in and engage more. Cultivating this mindset helps leaders create a better (and more fun) place to work, fostering a stronger culture of creativity and innovation.

As a strategic thinking architect, Mary empowers leaders and teams across all functions and levels to think, act, and lead more strategically. As the founder of Xcelerate, she builds learning strategy, designing and delivering immersive learning experiences that ignite "aha moments" and drive tangible business results.

Mary's passion extends beyond individual development. She champions inclusive growth through the Minority Business Growth Alliance, a non-profit providing invaluable coaching and support to BIPOC entrepreneurs. She holds an MBA, a BA in International Business, and is a certified leadership and sales trainer.

VP CLIENT STRATEGY AND SERVICE, B2B MARKETING AGENCY

“I came away feeling like I know several more avenues to consider, a bigger way to think about things, and questions to ask before I make a decision or a conclusion or an assumption. I learned some fantastic tools I never tried before.

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, MANAGEMENT CONSULTING GROUP

“What a wonderful class!! I really liked the content - such great reminders of actions that can be taken to 'think" strategically and/or probe others. I can see how this would be perfectly aligned for the executives we support!”

DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT, MAJOR BEEF PROCESSING COMPANY

“I loved the session! The experience challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me engage in different ways than I typically do. I felt like after every exercise I had something I could take away and really use. I’ll definitely be using this with my team! And the Powerful Questions really helped me drive a clarifying conversation about my vision. I’ve been using those questions since I got them and asking them is helping people think a little differently!”

We’re proud to have delivered custom workshops for many respected clients. Here are some of the organizations we've worked with.

Interested in bringing the Playground to your organiztion?

Chat with Mary to learn more!