People with strong Strategic talents are at their best when they are evaluating many options for achieving the desired destination or outcome.

Strategic®

A theme in the Strategic Thinking domain of CliftonStrengths

People exceptionally talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.

 

Full Theme Description

The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large.

This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, "What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?" This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles.

Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chosen path -- your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: "What if?" Select. Strike.

 

This Theme’s Power and Edge

People with strong Strategic talents bring creative anticipation, imagination and persistence to the groups and projects they work on. They can quickly weigh alternative paths and determine the one that will work best and most efficiently. They find the best route moving forward.

 

How People with Strong Strategic Talents Describe Themselves

  • "I am a planner who plays out different scenarios and asks, 'What if?'"

  • "I need freedom to make mid-course decisions."

  • "I love seeing a way when others assume there is no way."

  • "I hate doing things the way they have always been done."

  • "I bring creative anticipation, imagination and persistence."

 

Theme Contrast

Strategic Natural evaluator of possibilities.
Analytical Natural evaluator of realities.
Strategic Considers alternative routes.
Focus Concentrates on a singular destination.
 

Strategic: Helps and Hinders

Helps

  • You naturally see possibilities and alternatives. You almost always have a plan B, C and D, which helps you focus on the outcomes you want to achieve.

  • You see the big picture and can help your team avoid getting lost in minutiae.

  • Your ability to see alternatives gives you a persistence that creates confidence.

  • Your Strategic CliftonStrengths talents can be a source of optimism for yourself and others — there's always a way forward, and even with the inevitable setbacks, you can see another way to get to the end result.

Hinders

  • Because you sort alternatives and arrive at the best route quickly, others may not see it. Be sure to "show your work" so others can come with you.

  • Your tendency to weigh all the possible options may slow things down when time is of the essence — especially if you get new information that creates new options to be considered.

  • You see alternative ways of doing things. This can be interpreted as criticism of what others are doing, so be careful in your messaging.

  • You tend to fly at 30,000 feet — which is an advantage but can also cause you to miss important details. Be sure to ask yourself and others, "What am I missing here?" When you do this in planning with others, they will feel valued for their ideas and insights.

 

If Strategic is a Dominant Theme for You, Take Action to Maximise Your Potential

  • Make sure you explain yourself along your journey to discovering the best path to success to help others understand what you see.

  • Devote time each day away from the action to think about your current goals and strategies. This focused time might be the environment in which you can best think through the options to find the right course of action.

  • Trust your insights as much as possible. Because you naturally consider options at such a fast pace, even you might not know how you came up with the strategy, but because of your exceptional talents, it will likely be successful.

  • Find a group that you think does important work to which you can contribute your Strategic thinking. You can be a leader with your ideas.

  • Keep your followers in mind as you seek to achieve your leadership goals.

  • Recognise that you can develop your Strategic talents by taking into consideration what is already working well and what others have already done.

  • Learn how to describe what you anticipate. Others who do not possess a strong Strategic theme may not anticipate often or well. You will need to be persuasive if you want to help them avoid future obstacles or exploit the opportunities you have seen.

 

Potential Blind Spots to Watch Out for

  • When working with others, sometimes they may misinterpret your strong Strategic talents as criticism. Be mindful of what is already working well and what others have accomplished.

  • Because you evaluate patterns and pathways so quickly, others might find it difficult to follow or understand your thought process. Be aware that sometimes, you might have to backtrack to explain how you got to where you are.

 

If Strategic Is a Lesser Theme for You

Think about how you ask questions, set goals and prepare for the future. Even if you lack the intensity of anticipation or imagination of the Strategic theme, you can still plan and prepare for future situations.

  • When making an important decision, research the topic and discuss the situation with people who have in-depth knowledge of the subject. Taking the time to investigate and gather information will broaden your options.

  • Find those among your top themes that prompt you to be strategic. For example, Learner talents guide you to new information. Woo talents lead you to new people with different ideas to share. Communication talents open you up to conversations about a fresh approach. Context talents help you find strategies that have been successful in the past.

  • Keep a detailed record of each strategy you use in different situations to help you collect viable options for various situations.

 
 

Source: Gallup®

 
 

“I can give you a six-word formula for success: Think things through — then follow through.”

— Eddie Rickenbaacker, aviator, combat pilot and businessman