Question 6
Identifying relationships, patterns, and trends is an important strategic thinking skill. Which of the following is an example of this skill in action?
Click the button next to the correct answer choice. After you have read the feedback, explore the other choices. Note: Your first selection will be used to tally your score.
At a conference, you hear a presenter describe a new process-improvement approach being used in a different industry. You consider adapting that process in your own company.
Correct choice. Spotting opportunities to leverage best practices from industries very different from yours is an example of the ability to identify relationships, patterns, and trends—particularly in seemingly unrelated arenas. Application of this strategic thinking skill also enables you to understand relationships across different parts of your organization, interpret changes across time in important performance metrics (such as employee turnover or revenues), and organize seemingly disparate information into more manageable categories.
While attempting to solve a recurring problem in your group, you invite your direct reports to challenge their assumptions about how work should be done in your organization.
Not the best choice. Challenging assumptions is an example of creative thinking—a strategic thinking skill different from identifying relationships, patterns, and trends. Spotting opportunities to leverage best practices from an industry very different from yours is the correct example of the ability to identify relationships, patterns, and trends. Application of this strategic thinking skill also enables you to understand relationships across different parts of your organization, interpret changes across time in important performance metrics (such as employee turnover or revenues), and organize seemingly disparate information into more manageable categories.
To carry out a strategic mandate to improve order fulfillment for customers, you list all the critical data you need to know in order to achieve this important objective.
Not the best choice. Listing needed data is an example of analyzing information—a strategic thinking skill different from identifying relationships, patterns, and trends. Spotting opportunities to leverage best practices from an industry very different from yours is the correct example of the ability to identify relationships, patterns, and trends. Application of this strategic thinking skill also enables you to understand relationships across different parts of your organization, interpret changes across time in important performance metrics (such as employee turnover or revenues), and organize seemingly disparate information into more manageable categories.