Big Picture Thinking
Look, I get it.
You've got enough to deal with.
You've got stakeholders to satisfy, goals to meet, and a boss asking you for an update on the project that's due next week. Not to mention a bunch of emails that you have to reply to and a calendar full of meetings ahead of you.
In this very busy state, it's tempting to focus within, on your team, with enough problems on your plate, without having to think about what's going on outside.
But if you can, try to take a step back for a moment - if you consider the wider context, you might find that the decisions you make are different and potentially more impactful.
A critical capability for leaders to develop if they want to be successful is that of big picture thinking. This means seeing more than the obvious that is part of their immediate responsibility to understanding and exploring the wider context.
This is relevant no matter what level you are in an organization and how small your team is.
So today I'm going to give you more work to do. Below is a series of questions to think about, increasing in scope from your team to the wider world, that will help you develop your ability to broaden your thinking.
Team Context
The first thing to consider when trying to expand your thinking is the immediate context of your team.
Who are your stakeholders?
What are the motivations and expectations of those stakeholders?
Who are your customers?
How might you expand your customer base?
Where does your team sit in the domain, and overall organization?
How does your team contribute to the domain's objectives?
What are the dependencies between your team and other parts of the organization?
By examining these questions you can think about your team's positioning and impact within the immediate environment. This can serve as a foundation for broader exploration.
Sometimes it can be hard to see the wood for the trees
Opportunities for Growth
Having looked at your immediate context, you can then start to think about expanding beyond your scope. Where might you have the potential for bigger, more significant impact?
Where can your resources be deployed to best effect?
What initiatives can you contribute to that are outside your remit?
Where could you collaborate with other teams to deliver more value?
How might you think about your team and it's outputs from other perspectives, such as from your colleagues or customers?
How do you seek and integrate feedback from other teams?
Going Bigger
Let's now think on an even bigger scale...next up is the context of the business. Think larger still.
Who are your business' customers?
How does the work your team does serve them?
Where might you anticipate changes in customer trends?
Where will industry trends impact your business?
What innovation opportunities could you have to better serve your customers?
How does your team contribute to the business' objectives?
How well are your team's goals aligned with the long-term mission and vision of the business?
Where can you contribute to key business objectives or milestones?
Beyond Business
Now the largest scale - time to think about your responsibilities beyond the corporate bounds.
What impact are you having on society?
Where is your team able to contribute to sustainability and environmental responsibility?
What are the ethical considerations in your decision-making process?
How can your team actively engage in corporate social responsibility initiatives?
Conclusion
I believe that big picture thinking isn't just a high-level skill—it's a fundamental capability for leaders to develop at every tier. By exploring different layers of what's happening, from your team dynamics to the wider business landscape and the effects on society at large, you're giving yourself the tools to make decisions that can have a broader impact.
This is something you should do on a regular basis - take some time to think, reflect, and commit to understanding how your actions connect with the larger context of your team, the organization, and society at large.
When you're ready, I offer 1:1 coaching for leaders who are looking to take their life and career to the next level. Send me an email and we'll set up a time to have a chat.
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