STRATEGIC PLAYGROUND MODULES

Embrace strategic thinking and elevate your organization with The Strategic Playground. Designed for leaders seeking to sharpen their strategic decision-making skills, The Strategic Playground is an engaging and practical course that delivers actionable insights and cultivates a strategic mindset.  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.

Think Like a Strategist

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. 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.

Bias Busting; Thinking Beyond the Silo

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.

Transforming Strategic Insights into Actionable Plans

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.

The Art of Strategic Decision-Making: A Framework Approach

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.

Cultivating an Analytical Mindset

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.

Building a Strategic Thinking Culture

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.