Strategic Thinking

As a developing leader, you can use this website in multiple ways:

Build your skills. Use the skill-building exercises on this site on your own time and at your own pace. They will give you practice with the thinking skills you need to be an effective strategic thinker and to effectively manage complex problems.

Gain practical guidance. Use the practical guidance in this website to help you in your work. The tips and videos are provided by experienced military leaders and those who have expertise in understanding and managing complex problems. You can watch the videos, read through the guidance, and even print the guidance out for use as a reminder.

Continue learning. You can use this site to explore additional materials and expand your knowledge relevant to strategic thinking and complex problem solving. Follow the links to additional resources for learning and self-development.

As an instructor, consider this website a resource you can leverage as needed. Here are some ways you might use it to supplement your curriculum:

Incorporate skill-building exercises in your classroom to help your students practice thinking skills related to strategic thinking and complex problem solving.

Use the video library in the practical guidance section to provide an expert perspective on topics relevant to strategic thinking and complex problems. For example:

LTG H.R. McMaster describes why strategic thinking skills are important for Army leaders.
COL (Ret.) Jim Greer describes why reflection is important.
COL Paula Lodi describes using drawing to visualize complex problems.
LTG H.R. McMaster describes why asking powerful questions is important for understanding complex problems.
COL (Ret.) Jim Greer describes strategies for thinking holistically about complex problems.

Adapt materials for use in your classroom. Print, use, and/or adapt the materials and exercises and additional resources to fit your instructional needs and context.

Refer your students to the website for homework and/or additional learning and self-development opportunities.

Use as Leader Professional Development (LPD) material or in mentoring as a means to support leader development in operational settings.

This site is not optimized for mobile phones.

On this website, you will find skill-building exercises, practical guidance, and tools that can help you become more effective, agile, and adaptive at managing complex problems in today’s operational environments. The content was developed through research with experienced Soldiers and non-military experts experienced in complex problem solving.

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