5 Everyday Strategic Habits for HR and People Ops Pros

Ever feel like you're constantly putting out fires, stuck in reactive mode instead of shaping the future? We get it! There’s always another email to answer or a new crisis to manage. But what if there’s a way to work smarter? A way to anticipate challenges, make a bigger impact, and achieve better results without veering into burnout mode?

Enter strategic thinking.

A survey of 10,000 senior leaders spotlights the power of this skill: 97% said strategic thinking is the leadership behavior that drives their organization's success the most. 

It's more than just knocking out your to-do list – strategic thinking is about planning ahead and making decisions that move you, your team, and your company toward success.

Strategic Thinking: From Reactive to Proactive

In our Strategic Thinking workshops, our facilitators describe strategic thinking as weaving the future into your daily decisions. In other words, you're integrating tomorrow's goals into today's actions.

To think strategically, you've got to:

• Understand the ripple effects of what you do

• Switch up your perspectives

• Sync every move with the big-picture goals

Yes, this will take you a tad more time up front – research by Nathan Wiita and Orla Leonard shows top performers spend about 20% more time crafting clear strategies – but trust us, the payoff is huge!

Strategic thinking leads to:

• Greater operational productivity and profitability

• Increased engagement and buy-in for initiatives

• Time saved in the long run through efficiencies

Plus, rocking this skill helps you shine among the crowd (remember that survey? Execs are all about strategic thinkers!).

5 Strategic Habits to Adopt Right Now

To make strategic thinking a seamless part of your routine, embrace these five habits (straight from our management training workshops!). You can use them every day – for tasks, projects, and even how you interact with colleagues. 

Habit #1 - Link up 

This habit is all about starting with the end in mind.

Think of your end goal as a mountain you want to climb. Link up helps you come up with a plan to get there step-by-step. 

First, you map out the route – the strategy. 

Then, you break it down into manageable actions – the tactics.  

This way, every step is clearly linked to the bigger picture, ensuring your efforts are focused and impactful.

Link up also encourages you to check your assumptions and challenge your efficiency. Are you jumping to conclusions? Is there a faster, smarter way to achieve your goal? By asking these questions, you end up with a clear and effective plan.

Try it! Do a link-up check. Ask:

• What does it link up to? How does this task contribute to my overall goal?

• What’s the important link up? Figure out the connection between your daily actions and the long-term vision.

• Have I made the link up clear? Communicate your plan and its connection to the bigger picture for yourself and your team.

Habit #2 – Gap Check

Let’s keep the outdoorsy theme going. Imagine now you want to cross a wide river between your current situation (where you’re standing on the riverbank) and your desired situation (the destination across the river). 

To understand the gap that you need to bridge, you can do a gap check.

Make the gap measurable by adding numbers. In our example, it could be the distance or time needed to cross the river. Common work metrics are things like perception surveys, percentages, time saved, or cost reductions.

You can add numbers to any level of a link up map, like we explored in habit #1.  For example:

A gap check helps you:

• Track progress towards your goal by measuring the shrinking gap

• Stop misguided conversations by defining the starting point and desired outcome

• Measure impact by using objective metrics

LifeLabs CEO Priscila Bala shares how a ‘gap check’ helps prevent misalignment between HR and execs in this clip from a LifeLabs Learning webinar, CEO + HR: Navigating 2024’s Top Trends Together, available on-demand.

A bonus you get with a gap check is the nudge to consider not just lag measures (the end result) but also lead measures – those that predict the end result. Lead measures are like early signs of progress on your bridge construction. For example, a lead measure for a goal of increased employee retention could be the number of 1-1s you’ve done. Focusing on lead measures keeps you and your team motivated and engaged!

Try it! Do a gap check! Ask:

• What's the gap? Define the difference between your current situation and your desired outcome.

• What numbers can we put on it? Quantify the gap using metrics relevant to your goal.

• What are the lead indicators? Identify early signs of progress to keep everyone motivated.

Learn more! Listen to our podcast: SuperInfluence: The Gap Analysis.

Habit #3 – Three Lenses Model

This habit is about seeing things from different perspectives. Think of it as having three pairs of glasses, each offering a unique view of the situation. It's called multivariate thinking – a brainy term for a simple concept.

When you're stuck with just one viewpoint, it's tough to diagnose challenges strategically. But when you switch lenses, you can:

• See a wider range of approaches and solutions

• Gain self-awareness and take proactive ownership

• Build empathy and collaborate more effectively

A perfect time to use this approach is when tackling people challenges. Before jumping into a conversation, wear each lens: yours, theirs, and the broader team or organizational view. Map out what you see from each perspective and what factors are at play.

The three lenses approach is also helpful for dealing with recurring problems, and when leading change or planning team learning. Look at these situations through the individual lens, the interpersonal dynamics view, and the broader institutional perspective.

 Try it! Do a lens check! Ask: 

• Which lenses should we use to diagnose this issue? Identify which lenses are most relevant to the situation you're facing.

• What else might be causing this? (How am I contributing to this issue?) Use each lens to explore potential contributing factors, including your own potential role.

Habit #4 – UC Check

Let's talk about unintended consequences or UCs. It's not exactly fun to think about what could go wrong. Our brains are wired to focus on the positives, not the potential pitfalls. But taking a beat to look at potential risks and UCs can make a huge difference, helping you be more deliberate in managing them.

For another outdoorsy example, you wouldn't want to throw bread into the water to feed a duck and attract an alligator instead, right? It's crucial to take a strategic pause to assess (and mitigate) potential consequences before taking action!

The UC check invites you to pause before diving into a project or decision. Ask yourself: What else could happen if we do this? Then, tweak things to avoid or lessen those UCs.

Another trick is the pre-mortem. Instead of waiting to figure out why something failed afterward (a post-mortem), do a pre-mortem to spot potential hiccups upfront. Doing this isn’t always easy since we tend to see what we want to see; getting other perspectives can be super helpful!

Try it! Do a UC check. Ask:

• UC check: What are the unintended consequences to avoid or mitigate?

• Pre-mortem: What could cause this project to fail?

Habit #5 – Inclusive Planning

The last essential habit for strategic thinking is inclusive planning. A major stumbling block for failed strategies or projects is not involving the right people at the right times. Luckily, this misstep is preventable!

To embrace inclusivity, begin by breaking down your projects into these five phases (using the habits we’ve already covered):

Phase 1 - Define Your Goal. Now is the time to link up! Check alignment, assumptions, and efficiency with key stakeholders.

Phase 2 - Analyze Your Problem. Determine where you are and why using a gap check and the three lenses approach.

Phase 3 - Brainstorm Solutions. Seek diverse perspectives from a range of stakeholders to generate innovative ideas.

Phase 4 - Pick Solution(s). Link up again and conduct a UC check or pre-mortem to foresee potential challenges.

Phase 5 - Execute. Take action and learn from the process. 

Next, write down who you will involve in each project phase. It’s essential to strike a balance, avoiding both over-inclusion and exclusion. Involving everyone in every phase is unrealistic and could lead to fatigue among team members. Also, be sure to involve folks early, especially during brainstorming, to boost engagement and enhance buy-in.

This method guarantees projects run smoothly and effectively, helping you stay on track with timelines and use others' skills to the fullest.

Try it! Do an inclusive planning check. Ask:

• Who should be involved at each stage of this plan?

• Am I under-including or over-including anyone? 

Avoid Strategic Pitfalls

Knowing when strategic thinking matters most is key. Here are typical situations where strategic focus can slip:

• Tight deadlines or time crunches

• Heightened emotions, whether positive or negative

• External pressures or stressors

• Requests and demands from others

• Feeling tired or hungry

• Working remotely or from home

By spotting these red flags and turning to strategic thinking habits, you can stay on track even in tough situations. For instance, try doing a UC check if you're feeling overwhelmed.

Transforming Strategic Thinking into a Team Habit

The best way to get better at strategic thinking – that skill the top brass loves and that makes your work easier and better – is to implement and practice these five habits. Share them with your team so you all use the same vocabulary and ask the same questions. You’ll save time and energy, strengthen collaboration and engagement, and fundamentally change how you, your team, and your organization operate. 

Ready to turn strategic thinking into a team habit?

Check out our Strategic Thinking workshop!