The portfolio mindset

Why Strategic Thinking Is a Craft, Not a Job Title

Written by

sarahvlasso

in

Introduction: Strategy Isn’t Reserved for the C-Suite

When people hear “strategy,” they often picture:

  • Long meetings with senior executives
  • Fancy decks full of frameworks
  • People with “strategic” in their job titles

But in reality?
Strategy isn’t a job. It’s a way of thinking. A discipline. A craft.
And if you’ve ever led a project, built a product, or made something better by asking why, how, and what if—
You’ve been practicing strategy, whether you were given credit or not.

1️⃣ Strategy Is Observation + Intention

Before you can make a bold move, you need to know what you’re looking at.

That’s what makes strategic thinkers different:

  • They don’t just react—they scan
  • They don’t just plan—they question
  • They don’t just do—they choose

In my own work—from business development to product leadership—I’ve found that strategic thinking starts way before a “strategy” is written.

It starts when you:

  • Pause before saying yes
  • Ask, “What are we really solving here?”
  • Notice a pattern that others miss
  • Choose what not to build

📌 Strategy is not about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions.

2️⃣ Strategy Is a Muscle—Not a Personality Type

Some people are labeled “strategic” from early on.
Others are told they’re “operational,” “creative,” or “supportive.”
And it sticks.

But strategic thinking isn’t a talent you’re born with.
It’s a muscle you build—across disciplines, industries, and experiences.

Personally, I strengthened this muscle by:

  • Switching sectors and seeing how they solve similar problems in different ways
  • Leading global teams and learning to anticipate complexity
  • Navigating academia and entrepreneurship—where strategy lives in both ideas and execution

📌 You don’t become strategic by reading more case studies.
You become strategic by learning from what doesn’t go as planned.

3️⃣ Strategy Is Storytelling with Direction

Strategy is not just about facts—it’s also about narrative.

Whether you’re convincing a board, leading a team, or pitching a product, you need to:

  • Create clarity
  • Show patterns
  • Define trade-offs
  • Connect today to the future

I’ve found that being a writer helps me build strategy.
So does being a researcher.
So does being an expat.

Each lens teaches me how to connect dots, translate complexity, and paint a picture of possibility.

📌 Strategy is just storytelling with consequences.

4️⃣ Strategy Happens at Every Level

You don’t need to wait for a promotion to be strategic.
You don’t need permission to think upstream.
You can bring strategic thinking into:

  • How you prioritize your time
  • How you present insights to leadership
  • How you mentor others or manage clients
  • How you run a team meeting

The best strategists I know aren’t in ivory towers.
They’re in the field, building context, making bets, learning fast.

📌 Your title doesn’t make you strategic.
Your habits do.

Final Thought: Strategy Isn’t Just About Where You’re Going—It’s About How You See

The most valuable skill in today’s complex world isn’t execution at all costs.
It’s the ability to:

  • Slow down
  • Zoom out
  • Ask better questions
  • Anticipate change
  • Prioritize with courage

That’s strategy.
And it’s a craft. One that gets stronger every time you choose depth over speed, clarity over chaos, and direction over noise.

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