Strategic thinking is found in people who stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before to get a different view. These people stretch down to help the next generation to start climbing up onto their own shoulders. The active, intentional invitation to see further and think in dreams is the beginning of change.
Creative commons
Individuals, organisations and nations need to think strategically in order to articulate and manage change from a principled and proactive stance. George Bernard Shaw expressed this clearly from an individual viewpoint with the words:
"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognised by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments an grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy." (cited Handy, 1995, p 266).
Strategic planning was expressed as being proactive with 'principles of personal vision' and 'beginning with the end in min' by Stephen Covey (1989) when he wrote about the habits of highly effective people. Today we could equate his concepts with Carol Dweck's concepts of a growth mindset (2006). Successful orgnaisations have strategic thinking imbedded in their culture and they recognise and value vision and visionaries, nurture stegies that extend beyond election cycles, seek out present, near future and long term future markets and nurture potential ideas and not only proven ideas. (Ellyard, 2001).
https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve
Growing nations also follow similar principles. Singapore has a strategic vision called 'A Vision of an Intelligent Island' and Malaysia has one called 'Vision 20/20'. Handy (1995) notes that in Malaysia he experienced an excitement among business leaders who had a justification for their efforts that was greater than money. He also noted that taxi drivers had the headlines of the plan pinned up in their cabs.
Where do schools fit into this scenario? I believe that successful, growing schools need to look further than this week, term or year. Reporting to the government on an annual basis is too small for the schools thinking strategically. Finding a way to respect and value the innovators and visionaries in schools and clusters and COL's (Communities of Learners) will mean less structure and more space for supporting potential ideas as well as proven ideas. The local secondary school would do well to spend time in the local kindergartens. This is the enrolment pool in 10 years time. How inviting will their school be to the pool of potential students? It is wise to consider the changing face of communities in the long term development of staffing, curriculum and school marketing.
From nations, to organisations, schools, clusters and the individual person - me, myself. What are my strategic goals for the next 10 years? The next 20 years ? Have I articulated these, recorded them? How am I working towards achieving the strategic plan I am building for my own life? These are not rhetorical questions for I do not chose to be a 'selfish little clod of ailments and grievances' but a person spending my life being used for a mighty purpose, the education and nurturing of the next generation.
Covey, S. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective
People . Melbourne: The Business Library.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of
success. New York: Random House.
Ellyard, P. (2001). Ideas for the New Millenium.
Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.
Handy, C. (1995). The Empty Raincoat. London:
Arrow Books.
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