Achieving a Strategic Mindset for Greater Success in Business

“Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses” was one of Kobe Bryant’s mottos and indeed, numerous scientific studies have backed the idea that personal qualities, rather than raw talent, are the pillars of successful people from all walks of life. A study undertaken by researchers at the National University of Singapore has revealed that one crucial psychological factor behind the success of entrepreneurs, business people, athletes, and students, is having a “strategic mindset.” The latter involves organizing, planning, and executing goal-setting strategies in areas like education, work, health, and fitness goals. The good news is that a strategic mindset can be achieved by embracing the following habits.

Anticipating Potential Problems

In order to stay ahead of your game and be ready when setbacks occur, you must invest time in scanning the possibilities of emerging changes, analyzing trends, and developing multiple plans to share and discuss ideas about the future. Futurist thinkers are able to create a host of scenarios and strategize for them in order to boost their business’ resilience to external factors. They help their organization become more competitive, improve employee stability and wellbeing, and harness the power of continuous learning and development for their teams.

Being Inquisitive

Curiosity improves engagement and inspires the members of your team to collaborate. By asking questions, doing research, and holding brainstorming sessions with an open mind, you can make better choices and adapt in a more resilient manner to external pressure. A 2018 study by Harvard Business School academics showed that out of 3,000 employees from a myriad of industries, only 24% felt curious about their job on a regular basis and 70% claimed that they face obstacles when asking questions at work. Create a company culture in which the word “Why” is uttered often. Aim to help those in need find the solutions they seek.

Having a Flexible, Calm Attitude to Unexpected Changes

Because strategic leaders already foresee a number of situations that can befall their business, when things don’t go as expected, they are able to take it on the chin and adapt as the situation requires. They also embrace natural stress-busting strategies such as yoga, meditation, spending time in nature, and controlled breathwork. Activities like SOMA Breath take a scientific approach to reducing burnout, lowering stress hormone (cortisol) levels through a combination of breathwork, meditation, and visualization techniques, alongside relaxing music. This type of activity is usually undertaken under the guiding hand of  professional breath instructors, who hold short but powerful sessions for management and employees alike.

Identifying Trends and Patterns

Executive leaders can use various tools to understand present and future work trends more efficiently. These include press reports from key publications (including the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and The Economist), search engines (using the keywords “emerging trends” or “new patterns”), industry-specific trend reports, feedback from employees and clients, and networking with forward-thinking business leaders. Companies with a budget for it should also rely on external advisors that specialize in future of work research and reporting.

Great leaders are those who think strategically. Doing so has many benefits. It protects employees’ future, establishes a company as a standard-bearer, and boosts its resilience. To think more strategically, adopt the habits that mark success. These include identifying potential changes, being flexible, controlling stress, asking questions, and relying on both internal and external tools to identify emerging and future trends.