Attacking Problems Like a Strategist [PODCAST S2 E4]

How do strategic thinkers attack problems? Is that different from how people typically attack their problems? There is indeed a significant difference. This episode discusses attacking problems like a strategist.

Do You Have A Plan Of Attack For Your Biggest Problems?

Most people use one of around half a dozen techniques of attacking problems. Unfortunately, they do this without making a deliberate choice. As a result, they often fall into decision traps. The result is too much effort, too little effect.
Even strategic thinkers often make a subconscious choice on how to attack a problem. The difference is that someone who has honed his strategic thinking skills will use a different method of attacking problems.
In this episode, we discuss how the plan of attack makes a big difference to the outcome.

The Secret Sauce of Strategic thinking

In this episode, we go to the heart of the method used by strategic thinkers. Strategists use this method to identify significant levers around a core issue of a situation. When you pull a high impact lever, the result is a significant difference to the situation. On the other hand, when you pull low impact levers, even massive action makes too little difference.
Archimedes said, “give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I will move the world.” That is exactly what strategic thinkers do best. They find the longest possible levers in a situation. And that is the secret sauce of their success.

Simple Examples in Strategic Thinking

I share three examples of how you can use this method of thinking to solve three different problems. Although we use dozens of exercises in my strategic thinking workshops, here I share just three examples. But with just three examples, you can understand what the best strategic thinkers do.

Key Take Aways

In this episode, you will take away the following three things

1. Know different ways by which people can solve the same problem.
2. Why and how strategic thinking help you identify the strongest levers in a situation?
3. A simple method for an excellent plan of attack on even the most vexing issues in your business

How to Listen?

This audio is now available as a part of a complete online strategy program called Becoming a Strategist. You can listen to it in the course here