1. BMS4667 Laboratory Leadership and Management
Dr. David Ricketts

2. MSc/PgDip Biomedical Science

3. Postgraduate Course Feedback
Lesson 2: Thinking and planning strategically

4. Learning outcomes
Understand the difference in mind sets for thinking strategically
Understand forward planning
Understand the need for milestones and reviews

5. Strategic thinking the wiki view
Strategic thinking, a key thought process of strategic management framework; is defined as the generation and application of unique business insights and opportunities, to create competitive advantage for a firm or organisation. It can be done individually, as well as collaboratively among key people who can positively alter an organisation's future. Group strategic thinking create more value by enabling a proactive and creative dialogue, where we gain other people's perspectives on critical and complex issues which is an important benefit in today's highly competitive and fast-changing business landscape

6. Strategic planning the wiki view
Strategic planning is an organisation's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues through which it can pursue a particular course of action. Generally, strategic planning deals with at least one of three key questions:
"What do we do?"
"For whom do we do it?"
"How do we excel?"
In many organisations, this is viewed as a process for determining where an organisation is going over the next year or—more typically—3 to 5 years (long term), although some extend their vision to 20 years.

7. Group dicsussion
What are the differences between the two in terms of thought process?

8. Vision
Strategic thinking looks at the future and predicts scenarios and aspirations and tries to mould them
Strategic planning looks at what is known and more certain and applies resources to that model. It is more specific and predictable than the thought process used in thinking

9. Formulating plans and implementing them
Strategic thinking
This has to be interactive by definition with changes made as new ideas are inputted
Strategic planning
This is more structured with individuals and organisations given tasks and roles based on the plan

10. Management
Strategic thinking
A wide variety of input and suggestions as blue sky thinking is essential and gathering business intelligence is required.
Strategic planning
A top down approach of assigning tasks and not everyone necessarily needs to know everything

11. Process
Strategic thinking
Planning is a critical value adding part of the whole process
Strategic planning
The objective is to come up with the plan

12. The Harvard view
Watkins in 2007 blogged about the skills needed to develop strategic thinking
Immersion
Mentoring
Simulations
Game theory training
Case-based education
Cognitive reshaping

13. Immersion
Watkins argued you need time to immerse yourself in a given field to be able to think strategically
It is difficult to achieve if you move from project to project or field to field
A deep understand of the now is needed to predict the future direction of an industry
This I describe as business intelligence

14. Mentoring
It is important to help develop the strategic thinking mind set by using a mentor.
Bounce ideas off of each other and develop the thought processes.
The mentor must have a track record in strategic thought rather than just a higher pay grade!

15. Simulations
Run through scenarios or use commercial packages to develop the skills.
This allows reruns and adaptations to the thought processes.
A low tech option is a table top exercise with a moderator.

16. Research
Review the literature and engage with senior management.
To strategically think you must understand the direction you peers and you industry is looking ot move in and plan scenarios around that.

17. Class exercise
Strategic thinking for developing a service making widgets.
Discuss how, what and when.

18. Strategic planning (taken from smartdraw.com)

19. Planning phase
Decide who leads
Decide who is on the team
Decide how to feedback
Decide how to manage conflict and disagreements

20. Analysis map (from the same source)

21. Divide roles

22. Plot issues

23. SWOT analysis
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats

24. Plan

25. Milestones and reviews
What is a milestone?
When do you review?
Gantt charts

26. Gantt chart

27. Questions
Thank you