You’re More Strategic Than You Think
Hello dear reader,
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, ‘I’m just not a strategic person’? Maybe you’ve sat in a meeting, listening to someone lay out a detailed five-year plan, and felt like an imposter.
Maybe you’ve compared yourself to a colleague who seems to have everything mapped out while you feel like you’re making it up as you go.
Perhaps it’s not so much what you think, and more what you’ve been told - that you’re ‘just not strategic enough’. What does that even mean?
So many of us believe that being ‘strategic’ means having a colour-coded roadmap, a set of perfectly calculated steps, and the ability to predict the future with unsettling accuracy.
And if you don’t feel that you fit that mould, you decide you’re not strategic..
But that just isn’t true.
You’re More Strategic Than You Think
Most people hear the word ‘strategy’ and picture a boardroom filled with executives analysing spreadsheets.
But the truth?
Strategy isn’t about having all the answers - it’s about asking the right questions. It’s about thinking intentionally. Making decisions based on insight.
And guess what? You do this every single day.
If you’re empathetic, you use strategy in relationships - understanding what people need before they say it.
If you’re adaptable, you use strategy when life throws curveballs - pivoting quickly and making smart decisions on the fly.
If you’re creative, you use strategy in problem-solving - seeing solutions others miss and thinking outside the box.
You’ve been strategic all along. Just in your own way.
A lot of us feel like we’re ‘not strategic enough’ because we’re comparing ourselves to a certain kind of thinker. Maybe you’ve worked with someone who is methodical, structured, and long-term focused - and because you don’t think like that, you assume you’re missing something.
But strategy isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Some people strategise through planning. Others strategise through action, learning as they go.
One isn’t better than the other. They’re just different.
And another thing: most of us don’t lack strategy - we lack space to think. In a world that rewards busyness, we’re constantly reacting, moving from one thing to the next, never pausing to reflect.
Studies show that 96% of leaders say they don’t have enough time to think strategically.
Not because they can’t, but because they don’t slow down long enough to do it.
So if you’re feeling like you’re not strategic enough, ask yourself:
Am I actually lacking strategy, or just lacking time to step back and see the bigger picture?
Am I giving myself permission to think in my own way, or am I measuring myself against someone else’s version of strategy?
How to Build Strategic Thinking (Without Changing Who You Are)
Lean into your strengths
If you’re relational, use strategic thinking in how you connect and influence. If you’re creative, use it to innovate. Play to your natural abilities.
Create space to think
Strategy doesn’t come from constantly doing. Give yourself time to step back and ask: “Where am I going, and why?”
Surround yourself with different thinkers
The best strategy comes from multiple perspectives. Talk to people who challenge and expand your thinking.
Ask better questions
Instead of looking for the perfect plan, ask: What’s the long-term impact of this decision? What patterns am I noticing?
You Are More Strategic Than You Think
Strategy isn’t reserved for CEOs and analysts.
It’s not about having a rigid plan, it’s about making intentional choices that move you forward. And you do that every single day.
So the next time that little voice in your head says, ‘I’m not strategic enough,’ I want you to challenge it.
Because I promise you, you’re already more strategic than you think.
I dive deeper into this topic on my latest podcast episode - we look at:
What do people even mean when they use the word strategic?
How you might be more strategic that you realise
How to help yourself (and others) see your strategic strength
Common ways we self sabotage and block strategic thinking
How we can build strategic thinking (our way)
Love,
Hannah x