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Greg Githens is the author of How to Think Strategically (2019). He is a recognized thought leader in designing and delivering strategic initiatives.-
Read these recent articles
- The Skills Stack for Resilience
- Five tips for speaking truth to power
- Better Conversations Generate Better Strategy
- Insights Are the Secret Sauce of Strategy
- How a Strategic Decision Differs From a Tactical Decision
- Unlearning, learning, and a culture of strategic thinking
- How Mapping Can Improve Your Strategic Thinking
- How to Measure Business Acumen
- Strategy Execution as a Learning Process
- Why I favor a mental stance of disorder
- Critical Asking
- Transcending the Status Quo
- Connecting Strategy to Execution
- Complexity: Four Principles for Program Managers
- Use the PAVER Framework to Assure Strategic Commitments
- Strategic Experiments & Agile Responses
- Avoiding Four Pitfalls of Rapid Growth
- Operational Excellence or Strategic Excellence?
- Design Thinking: Five Landmarks for Strategic Initiatives
- Seven Must-Do’s for Better Strategy Execution
- Strategy as Problem Solving: An Example from a Large Technology Organization.
- Five Mental Anchors that Impede Your Strategic Initiative
- Five Must-Know Patterns of Disruption
- Beginners Guide: Competent Strategic Initiatives
- Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, & Ambiguity (VUCA)
- Four Recommendations for Effective Program Governance
- Six Strategic Thinking Skills: Developing the Proactiveness Habit
- What’s the #Strategy? Let Me Tell You a #Story
- Benefits of Being a Visible Expert
- Strategy is Not Long-Range Planning, Vision, Mission, or Values
- Five Ways to Involve Smart New Voices in the Strategy & Agile Innovation Conversation
- Is it Possible to Have a Perfect Strategy?
- Facilitating the Business Model Canvas: A Few Lessons Learned (Part 1)
- Designing Strategic Initiatives for Results: The Two Kinds of Coherence
- Perspective is More Powerful than Vision
- The Real Reason Strategy Implementation is Difficult (and the Solution to It)
- Grasping Essentials When You’re NOT the Expert
Talk to the Expert
Need a strategic planning facilitator, implementation coach, neutral mediator, workshop, seminar, or hands-on program manager? Greg Githens provides coaching, workshops, hands-on, and more. Contact him at GregoryDGithens@cs.com or 419.424.1164Categories
- Ambiguity and Strong-Minded Thinking
- Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders
- Examples of Strategic Initiatives
- How to Improve Your Story Telling Chops
- Incremental Benefits Delivery
- Interpreting Strategy Documents
- Program & Portfolio Management
- Strategic Planning Issues for Strategic Initiatives
- Strategy
- Strategy Coaching and Facilitation
- Strategy, Ambiguity, and Strong-Minded Thinking
- Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives
- Transforming the Organization
- Uncategorized
- Useful Practices & Management Tools
Tag Archives: Strategic planning
Balanced Score Cards and Strategic Initiatives
The leader of a strategic initiative needs to have a good understanding of the purpose and application of the balanced score card. This article overviews the four perspectives and provides four valuable questions that inform the strategic intent. Continue reading
Pillars of Strategic Initiative Success
Greg Githens explains that good strategy, strong commitment, and strategic planning and thinking are the strategic pillars for success with strategic initiatives. Continue reading
Posted in Strategic Planning Issues for Strategic Initiatives, Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives
Tagged anticipating obstacles, Business, commitment, Consulting, correct strategy, Decision making, Forbes, good strategy, Management, program management, Strategic initiative, Strategic management, strategic pillars, strategic planks, Strategic planning, strategic thinking, Strategy, strategy execution
3 Comments
Vice President, Director, Manager of Strategic Initiatives: Position Description Best Practices
Greg Githens reviewed a number of employment opportunities for individuals with the phrase “strategic initiatives” in the job title (and the trend is upward). Examples are Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Director of Strategic Initiatives, and Manager of Strategic Initiatives. This article provides a snapshot of five positions and commentary on trends and omissions. Continue reading
Posted in Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Examples of Strategic Initiatives, Program & Portfolio Management, Success Principles for Strategic Initiatives
Tagged American Express, balanced score card, Balanced scorecard, case study, Chief financial officer, Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Conifer Health Solutions, director, enterprise strategic program manager, Green Dot, growth, job, Management, Mattel, Organizational Development, position, program management, Project management, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Strategic initiative, Strategic Initiatives Group, Strategic management, Strategic planning, strategy map, The Hartford, transformation, vice president, vp
8 Comments
Strategic Thinking (Part 2): Framing Decisions with the Four Types of Ambiguity
Good strategic thinkers are strong minded; they cope effectively with ambiguous information. This article explains how to recognize the four types of goal ambiguity (methods, metrics, priorities, and outcomes). The strategic initiative leader needs to frame decisions to cope with this ambiguity. Continue reading
Posted in Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Strategy, Ambiguity, and Strong-Minded Thinking
Tagged agile, ambiguity, Business, buy in, Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Consulting, Decision making, Greg Githens, Initiativeto strong mind, Management, questions, Strategic initiative, Strategic management, Strategic planning, Strategic Planning Issues for Strategic Initiatives, strategic thinking, strong minded
10 Comments
Strategic Thinking (Part 1): A Fight with Ambiguity
Strategic thinking is necessary for execution, as well as strategy formulation. Ambiguity (multiple meanings) is at the heart of strategy, so the Strategic Initiative leader’s top priority is to recognize ambiguity, clarify metrics, and develop sensible action plans. Greg Githens explains how they find the balance of patience and action. Their skillful conversation fosters understanding and gain commitment. Continue reading
Posted in Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Interpreting Strategy Documents, Strategy, Ambiguity, and Strong-Minded Thinking
Tagged ambiguity, Business, buy in, Competencies of Strategic Initiative Leaders, Decision making, fast decisions, Greg Githens, Management, Nokia, Strategic initiative, Strategic management, Strategic planning, strategic thinking, strategy execution, strong mind, transformation, vision
26 Comments
Leading Strategic Initiatives 