Strategic Thinking and Planning Toolkit

The “Strategic Thinking Toolkit” by C. Lynn Northrup, CPA, provides guidance on facilitating strategic thinking and planning. The toolkit outlines how to facilitate strategic thinking and planning, including goal and objective development. It emphasizes that strategic planning and strategic thinking are distinct processes.
While planning involves concrete steps, strategic thinking focuses on qualitative aspects. It starts with a vision for the future and evaluates qualitative options. The shared vision drives the organization’s strategy. Strategic thinking creates a mental picture of the organization’s future direction. This picture becomes a strategic profile, guiding both strategic and operational plans. The toolkit helps businesses develop a clear profile of their desired future state, Create focused objectives and tactical action plans, Manage by thinking about where they want to go, as well provides a roadmap for explicit strategic vision and operational competence. The toolkit assists in determining the business’s direction and future composition.