Strategic Thinking

and Writing
Strategic Thinking
and Writing

Michael Edmondson, PhD

Strategic Thinking and Writing
Copyright © Business Expert Press, LLC, 2019.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

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First published in 2019 by

Business Expert Press, LLC
222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017
www.businessexpertpress.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-94944-341-7 (paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-1-94944-342-4 (e-book)

Business Expert Press Corporate Communication Collection

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First edition: 2019

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 Dedication
To Jolyon P. Girard, James Hedtke, and Lowell Gustafson
 Other Books by Michael Edmondson
Success: Theory and Practice
Major in Happiness: Debunking the College Major Fallacies
Marketing Your Value: 9 Steps to Navigate Your Career
 Advance Quotes
for Strategic Thinking
and Writing
“Strategic Thinking and Writing is a must read for students and business
professionals looking to enhance their strategic thinking and writing skills.
Throughout the book, Dr. Edmondson provides readers the opportunity
to perform thinking exercises and self-awareness checks which I found to
be that are extremely helpful. Dr. Edmondson reminds us that writing
is a process that we need to respect in order to produce a high-quality
product.”
Monique Oudijk, Bayada Home Health Care

“Thinking and writing well is one of the single most important traits
you can have in the business world. Knowing how to think and write
well helps you to perform and convey great ideas in your workplace.
Dr. Edmondson’s Strategic Thinking and Writing will help you capture
your ideas and showcase them to your professional audience.  Displaying
great ideas with skill gives you power that is well deserved, and this book
will help you achieve that easily.” 
Katie Calabrese, National Association for Community College
Entrepreneurship

“In an era when more time is spent on constant tweeting than on critical
thinking, Michael Edmondson provides an important reminder that the path
to success won’t be found by staying glued to a device. Strategic Thinking and
Writing is a guide for effectively using the one key element needed to gain
the upper hand in any challenging situation: your own thought process.”
Ronald Panarotti, Rider University

Dr. Edmondson’s Strategic Thinking and Writing is a fascinating piece of

literature that will help you remain focused, motivated, and engaged in
the art of critical thinking. This book captures real life success stories
and provides magnificent exercises, each designed to help people improve
their strategic thinking and writing skills. This book has encouraged me
to open up my mind, increase my self-awareness, and continuously strive
for clear and efficient thinking. 
Martha Redondo, Princeton Theological Seminary
 Abstract
In today’s hyperconnected, dynamic, and ever-changing global market-
place, storytelling is the new strategic imperative for organizations that
want to achieve and sustain growth. The power of narrative, however, is
built upon the foundation of strategic thinking and writing. As technol-
ogy has democratized the power to share stories with the world, succeed-
ing in today’s age of collaborative commerce demands that leaders on all
levels develop and enhance the business competency of storytelling built
on strategic thinking and writing in order to drive customer engagement,
enhance business performance, and remain relevant. Perhaps nowhere is
the evidence of storytelling more prevalent than Amazon. In his 2018
annual letter, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos repeated his rule that
PowerPoint is banned in executive meetings. Bezos replaced ­PowerPoint
slides with a six-page narrative that executives prepare. The start of each
meeting involves attendees reading the six-page narrative for 30 ­minutes
followed by a discussion. Writing the six-page memo requires research,
time, and multiple revisions. The six-page memo also requires one to
think and write strategically. That’s where this publication can help.
Part one consists of three chapters that focus on examining the various
definitions associated with thinking and the process of strategic thinking.
Part two shifts the attention toward strategic writing and provides the
reader with a step-by-step guide on how to create a clear, concise, and
compelling six-page memo.

Keywords
business; communication; corporate communication; leadership; man-
agement; professional development; strategic thinking; strategy; writing
 Contents
Acknowledgments..................................................................................xiii
Introduction........................................................................................xvii
Part 1 Thinking......................................................................... 1
Chapter 1 The Types of Thinking.......................................................3
Chapter 2 The Components of Thinking..........................................17
Chapter 3 Strategic Thinking............................................................37
Chapter 4 The Process of Strategic Thinking.....................................53
Part 2 Writing.......................................................................... 71
Chapter 5 Amazon’s Six-Page Memo.................................................73
Chapter 6 Three Writing Strategies...................................................81
Chapter 7 Strategic Business Writing................................................97
Chapter 8 Strategic Writing Topics.................................................111
Appendix: List of 300 Words and Definitions.........................................127
About the Author.................................................................................149
Index..................................................................................................151
 Acknowledgments

This book is dedicated to three men who were instrumental in teach-

ing me the art of writing. While an undergraduate at Cabrini College,
Dr. James Hedtke and Dr. Jolyon P. Girard in the history and political sci-
ence department provided ample opportunities for me to learn to write.
Through countless one-on-one conversations, classroom discussions,
and small group meetings, they demonstrated the highest level of their
craft and remained forever patient as this first-generation college student
struggled through the learning process. Their dedication to my education
formed the foundation of my graduate experience where I encountered
yet another remarkable teacher Dr. Lowell Gustafson from Villanova. He
challenged me to reach new heights in my thinking and writing. As the
outside member of my dissertation committee Dr. Gustafson demon-
strated time and again his commitment to my development. To all three
men, I thank you and dedicate this book to you. Without your guidance,
encouragement, and support, my path through the bachelors, masters,
and doctorate would have been nearly impossible.
This is the fourth book that Business Experts Press has published
for me, so I am indebted to the entire staff for their constant support
and guidance over the years. A special note of thanks to Rob Zwettler,
Executive Acquisitions Editor, Charlene Kronstedt, Director of Produc-
tion, Sheri Dean, Director of Marketing, Debbie D. DuFrene, Editor,
Corporate Communication Collection and Melissa Yeager, Editorial and
Marketing Assistant. It continues to be an honor to work alongside a team
dedicated to providing high-quality manuscripts for executives and busi-
ness students that need reliable, concise information and guidance from
experts. To my colleagues at New Jersey City University, thank you for
your support and encouragement during the writing process.
xiv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A debt of gratitude also goes out to my family for putting up with me

being in front of the computer at nights and on weekends. To my wife
Lori, our daughter Amanda and her wife Kiersten, and our son Jonathan,
I offer my sincere thanks for supporting me through the publication of
another book. Your constant encouragement helps me through the
research, writing, and editing involved with each publication. Thank you.
“The traditional kind of corporate meeting starts with a presentation.
Somebody gets up in front of the room and presents with a PowerPoint
presentation, some type of slide show. In our view you get very little
information, you get bullet points. This is easy for the presenter,
but difficult for the audience. And so instead, all of our meetings are
structured around a six-page narrative memo. If you have a traditional
PPT presentation, executives interrupt. If you read the whole six-page
memo, on page 2 you have a question but on page 4 that question is
answered.”
Jeff Bezos, Amazon
 Introduction

In today’s hyper-connected, dynamic, and ever-changing global market-

place, storytelling is the new strategic imperative for organizations that
want to achieve and sustain growth. The power of narrative, however, is
built upon the foundation of strategic thinking and writing. As technol-
ogy has democratized the power to share stories with the world, succeed-
ing in today’s age of collaborative commerce demands that leaders on all
levels develop and enhance the business competency of storytelling built
on strategic thinking and writing in order to drive customer engagement,
enhance business performance, and remain relevant.
Perhaps nowhere is the evidence of storytelling more prevalent than
at Amazon. In his 2018 annual letter, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff
Bezos repeated his rule that PowerPoint is banned in executive meetings.
Bezos replaced PowerPoint slides with a six-page narrative that execu-
tives prepare. The start of each meeting involves attendees reading the
six-page narrative for 30 minutes, followed by a discussion. Writing the
six-page memo requires time, teamwork, and revisions to ensure the story
is as clear, concise, and compelling as possible. The six-page memo also
requires one to think and write strategically. That’s where this publication
can help.
Part 1 consists of three chapters that focus on examining the vari-
ous definitions and processes associated with thinking, particularly with
strategic thinking. Part 2 shifts the attention toward strategic writing and
provides the reader with a step-by-step guide on presenting a clear, con-
cise, and compelling six-page memo.
Let us begin our journey into strategy thinking and writing by
­examining two short stories: The Small Bird and The Talking Horse.
Both examples illustrate the value of thinking strategically. Using the
goal-strategy-tactic template explained in this book, both stories will help
you quickly understand this powerful framework of thinking.
xviii INTRODUCTION

The Small Bird Story

In Mexican folklore, it is said that
a long time ago there was a great
fire in the forests that covered the
earth. People and animals started
to run, trying to escape from
the fire.
An owl was running away
when he noticed a small bird hur-
rying back and forth between the nearest river and the fire. He headed
toward the small bird.
The small bird was running to the river, picking up small drops of
water in his beak, then returning to the fire to throw that tiny drop of
water on the flame. He did this several times.
Finally, after the third time, the owl approached the small bird and
asked “What are you doing? What are you trying to do?”
After a brief pause, the small bird answered: “I am doing the best I
can with what I have.” The small bird wanted to do something, so he did
the only thing he could.
He risked his own life to extinguish the fire, one beak of water at
a time. With that the owl and other animals followed the small bird’s
example.
According to this legend, the forests that covered the earth were saved
from a great fire by a small bird, an owl, and many other animals that got
together to put out the fire.

The Small Bird Strategic Outline

Throughout this book you will learn a clear, concise, and compelling
approach to creating a strategic outline. This story, and the one about
a talking horse, set the stage for helping you understand how to think
strategically. Doing so forms the foundation for effective strategic
writing.
Goal: The goal for the bird is to extinguish the fire and/or save the
earth.
 INTRODUCTION
xix

Strategy: To accomplish that goal, the bird knows that the only viable
strategy involves dropping water onto the fire to extinguish it.
Tactic: To implement the strategy of dropping water on the fire, the
bird takes it upon himself to fly to the river, pick up some water, and then
drop it over the fire. In short, he is doing the best he can with what he has.
Notes: The goal of saving the earth by extinguishing the fire is rather
clear. It is a short story with little additional information to distract the
reader. Due to the lack of resources available, there is really only one vi-
able strategy of dropping water onto the fire. Knowing that is the one
strategic choice available, the bird moves into action and does what he
can at the tactical level to put out the fire. There is hope, of course, that
other birds and animals see this act of bravery and join the small bird at
the tactical level to implement the strategy of dropping water on the fire.

The Talking Horse Story

Long ago there was a man who
stole a loaf of bread from a baker
who owned a store in the heart of
the town.
The man needed the bread to
feed his starving family. The baker
followed the man home and told
the king about the theft.
The king had the man arrested and said that theft of any kind in his
town was punishable by death.
The man pleaded with the king and said he needed the bread to feed his
starving family. The king would not listen and sentenced the man to die.
The man loved his family and did not want to die. Knowing that the
king loved horses but loved being powerful even more, the man said to
the king “Sir, would you find value in a talking horse?”
The king looked at the man in disbelief and said, “Horses do not talk.”
The man said, “Oh but your majesty, if you give me two years, I will train
one of your horses to talk and you will be the king of all kings with a
talking horse.”
xx INTRODUCTION

The king thought about the man’s request. Having a talking horse, a
horse like no other, would certainly make him a king of all kings, and so
he granted the man’s request.
The man took one of the king’s horses and went off to teach it to talk.

The Talking Horse Strategic Outline

Goal: Not to die is the man’s goal in this short story.
Strategy: With little time to respond to the king’s decree of punish-
ment by death, the man thought quickly on his feet and knew that he
needed to buy time. Buying time is the strategy.
Tactic: To buy time, the man used the tactic of teaching a horse to
talk. Doing this allowed him to live two years; thus accomplishing his
goal of not dying.
Notes: Given that death is involved, staying alive is the obvious goal.
Buying time is one of the most effective strategies to use when con-
fronted with a complex situation. The man who stole the bread could
have attempted to use other strategies, such as pleading for his life or even
attempting to escape from the king’s jail. He chose to use what he consid-
ered as the one strategy that gave him the best chance of survival—buying
time. He gave himself two years to teach a horse to talk. In those two
years, anything could happen. The king could die. Another king could
come along and seize power. If the horse were to die during that period, he
would ask for another one and then give himself another two years to live.
This book provides you with a variety of exercises, assessments, and
assignments that are designed to develop a specific aspect of your stra-
tegic thinking and writing. Take your time with each assignment and
remember that enhancing your strategic thinking and writing is a lifelong
process.

Your Short Story

Find a short story, or write one, that allows you to use the goal-strategy-tactic
approach. This framework will form the foundation of your thinking and
writing moving forward. Both of the short stories just mentioned are between
200–250 words long.
 PART 1

Thinking
 CHAPTER 1

The Types of Thinking

The Definition of Thinking

Before we delve into the art of strategic business writing—and make no
mistake about it, writing in any form is an art—we must first become
familiar with thinking. In a May 25, 1946 New York Times article, Albert
Einstein noted that “a new type of thinking is essential if mankind is to
survive and move toward higher levels.” A common, modern corruption
of his quote, “You cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that
created it,” fills the search engine results when searching for a quote on
thinking. Nevertheless, if you wish to move to the next level of your per-
sonal or professional development, learning how to think, plan, and write
strategically remains a prerequisite. Thinking strategically requires one to
set aside time to think hard, to consider new ideas, and to practice writing
in order to present a clear, concise, and compelling story. How much time
do you spend in thinking about how you think? Are you aware of how
you process thoughts?
Is thinking solely a prerogative of humans? Not according to the lat-
est research. Most scientists now feel they can say with confidence that
some animals process information and express emotions in ways that are
accompanied by conscious mental experience. An article in the March 14,
2017 edition of The Economist noted: “No animals have all the attributes
of human minds; but almost all the attributes of human minds are found
in some animal or other.” In short, thinking is important; spend time
thinking about it.
Let’s begin our inquiry into the preparation for strategic business writ-
ing by understanding the various definitions associated with the words
thinking or think. Lacking a clear definition of the words used presents
a significant barrier to communication, education, and understanding.
4 STRATEGIC THINKING AND WRITING

Before you begin any strategic business writing assignment, define the key
words used in order to prevent any misunderstanding.
Thinking can be classified as both a noun and an adjective, while think
can be defined as a verb.

Noun (thinking)
• The process of using one’s mind to consider or reason about
something.
• A person’s ideas or opinions.

Adjective (thinking)
• Using thought or rational judgment; intelligent.

Verb (think)
• Have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or
something.
• Direct one’s mind toward someone or something; use one’s mind
actively to form connected ideas.
• Take into account or consideration when deciding on a possible
action.
• Consider the possibility or advantages of (a course of action).
• Have a particular mental attitude or approach.
• Have a particular opinion of.
• Call something to mind; remember.
• Imagine (an actual or possible situation).
• Expect.
• Concentrate on imagining what it would be like to be in (a posi-
tion or role).

Thinking is hard work. Thinking about thinking is even more difficult.

If you want to think and write strategically, however, you will need to learn
to recognize what you are thinking about as well as how you think. Are
you committed? Are you willing to put the time and energy into learn-
ing how to be a strategic thinker and writer? If you are, remember the
words of Thomas Edison as you move forward: “Five percent of the people
 The Types of Thinking 5

think; ten percent of the people think they think; and the other eighty-five
­percent would rather die than think.” What percentage do you belong to?

Self-Awareness Check

How often do you spend time thinking about how you think?
Why do you believe it is so difficult for people to think about thinking?
How often do you remind yourself, or others, that “You cannot solve
a problem with the same thinking that created it?” Does doing so
help you change your thinking?

Knowledge Check

1. Lacking a clear definition of words used presents a significant

barrier to
a. Communication
b. Education
c. Understanding
d. All of the above
2. If you wish to move to the next level of your personal or professional
development, learning how to think strategically remains
a. Unnecessary
b. Avoidable
c. A prerequisite
d. None of the above
3. Thinking, or think, can be classified as
a. A noun
b. An adjective
c. A preposition
d. Only a and b
4. When used as a noun, thinking means
a. The process of using one’s mind to consider or reason about
something
b. A person’s ideas or opinions
c. Failing to make a decision
d. Both a and b
6 STRATEGIC THINKING AND WRITING

5. When used as a verb, think means to

a. Have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or
something
b. Direct one’s mind toward someone or something; use one’s mind
actively to form connected ideas
c. Take into account or consideration when deciding on a possible
action
d. All of the above

The Different Types of Thinking

There are various types of thinking that allow you to adapt to specific
situations. Understanding the spectrum of thinking will provide a greater
depth to your strategic business writing. As you review examples of stra-
tegic business writing in your research and preparation, see if you can
identify one or more of the definitions the author has used. Doing so will
make your own writing better, as you can then apply the appropriate type
of thinking for a given situation.
Abstract thinking refers to the ability to use concepts to make and
understand generalizations and then relating or connecting them to other
items, events, or experiences. Example: An abstract thinker would see a
flag as a symbol of a country or organization. They may also see it as a
symbol of liberty and freedom.
Analytical thinking refers to the ability to separate a whole into its basic
parts in order to examine the parts and their relationships. It i­nvolves
thinking in a logical, step-by-step manner to break down a larger system
of information into its parts. Example: An analytical thinker may study a
bicycle to determine how it works or what is wrong with it.
Concrete thinking refers to the ability to comprehend and apply factual
knowledge. It involves thinking only on the surface, always literal, and
to the point. Example: A concrete thinker will look at a flag and only see
specific colors, markings, or symbols that appear on the cloth.
Convergent thinking refers to the ability to put a number of differ-
ent pieces or perspectives of a topic together in some organized, logical
­manner to find a single answer. It involves focusing on a finite num-
ber of solutions rather than proposing multiple solutions. Example: The
 The Types of Thinking 7

deductive reasoning that the Sherlock Holmes used in solving mysteries

is a good example of convergent thinking. By gathering various bits of
information, he was able to put the pieces of a puzzle together and come
up with a logical answer to the question of “Who done it?”
Creative thinking refers to the ability to conceive new and innovative
ideas by breaking away from established thoughts, theories, rules, and
procedures. It involves putting things together in new and imaginative
ways. Creative thinking is often referred to as “thinking outside the box.”
Example: A creative thinker may look at a product and think of new ways
to use it or suggest an innovative solution to a problem.
Critical thinking refers to the ability to exercise careful evaluation
or judgment in order to determine the authenticity, accuracy, worth,
­validity, or value of something. In addition to precise, objective analysis,
critical thinking involves synthesis, evaluation, reflection, and reconstruc-
tion. Example: A triage nurse who analyzes the cases at hand and decides
the order in which the patients should be treated is practicing critical
thinking.
Divergent thinking refers to the ability to generate creative ideas by
exploring many possible solutions in an effort to find one that works. It
involves bringing facts and data together from various sources and then
applying logic and knowledge to solve problems or make decisions.
Example: Divergent thinking is similar to brainstorming in that it in-
volves coming up with many different ideas to solve a single problem.
Unlike convergent thinking, there is no one right answer in divergent
thinking.
Holistic (nonlinear) thinking refers to the ability to see the big picture
and recognize the interconnectedness of various components that form
the larger system. It involves expanding your thought processes in mul-
tiple directions, rather than in just one direction, and understanding a
system by sensing its patterns. Example: Allowing a puppy to run free and
explore the world as much as possible.
Sequential (linear) thinking refers to the ability to process information
in orderly prescribed manner. It involves a step-by-step progression where
a response to a step must be obtained before another step is taken. Ex-
ample: Teaching the puppy a number of tasks in a specific order, ensuring
it learns A before B, and B before C, and so on.
8 STRATEGIC THINKING AND WRITING

Examples of Each Type of Thinking

Can you find at least one example of each type of thinking and explain it in
a sentence or two?

Abstract thinking:
Analytical thinking:
Concrete thinking:
Convergent thinking:
Creative thinking:
Critical thinking:
Divergent Thinking:
Holistic (nonlinear) thinking:
Sequential (linear) thinking:

A Note on Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a valuable skill for most jobs these days. This is
especially true for recent college graduates. Unfortunately, no one clear
definition is used to explain critical thinking. As Melissa Korn wrote
in a Wall Street Journal article: “Employers complain that colleges are
not producing graduates who can solve problems and connect the dots
on complex issues, but bosses stumble when pressed to describe exactly
what skills make critical thinkers. That leaves job seekers wondering
what employers really want and, once on the job, unsure of whether
they’re supposed to follow the rules or break them.”1 As one employ-
ment recruiter noted: “Critical thinking is one of those words where
everyone talks about it but there are 50 different ways to define it.” Here
are three common definitions of critical thinking Korn identified 2:

• “The ability to cross-examine evidence and logical argument. To

sift through all the noise.”
Richard Arum, sociology professor, New York University

1
M. Korn. October, 2014. “Bosses Seek ‘Critical Thinking,’ but What Is That?” The
Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/bosses-seek-critical-thinking-but
-what-is-that-1413923730, (date accessed July 10, 2018).
2
Ibid.
 The Types of Thinking 9

• “Thinking about your thinking, while you’re thinking, in order to

improve your thinking.”
Linda Elder, educational psychologist; president, Foundation for Crit-
ical Thinking
• “Do they make use of information that’s available in their jour-
ney to arrive at a conclusion or decision? How do they make use
of that?”
Michael Desmarais, global head of recruiting, Goldman Sachs Group

For their part, students seem to think they are ready for the workplace.
But their future bosses tend to disagree. In 2013, Harris Interactive con-
ducted a survey of 2,001 college students and 1,000 hiring managers on
problem-solving preparedness and found 69% of the students felt they were
“very or completely prepared” for problem-solving tasks in the workplace,
while fewer than half of the employers agreed.3 Judy Nagengast, CEO of
Continental Inc., an Anderson, Ind. staffing firm, says she has come across
young graduates who “can memorize and they can regurgitate,” but struggle
to turn book learning into problem solving at work.4
With that in mind, it is no surprise to learn that employers are leaving
positions unfilled because they are unable to identify qualified candidates.
Sarah E. Needleman of the Wall Street Journal reported that a recent survey
found that “one-third of 848 small-business owners and chief executives said
they had unfilled job openings in June 2014 because they couldn’t identify
qualified applicants.”5 Don’t assume because an organization has an employ-
ment opportunity the employer will hire someone to fill the position. You
need to market your value and demonstrate why the organization should
hire you. Now that you are aware of just how important critical thinking
is for employers, be sure to include an example or two of how you solved a
problem using your critical thinking skills in the past.

3
S. Cole. October, 2014. “Employers Want ‘Critical Thinkers,’ But Do They Know What
It Means?” Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/3037837/employers-want
-critical-thinkers-but-do-they-know-what-it-means, (date accessed June 20, 2018).
4
Ibid.
5
S. E. Neddleman. July, 2014. “Skills Shortage Means Many Jobs Go Unfilled,” The
Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-business-owners-work-to-fill
-job-openings-1404940118, (date accessed May 2, 2018).
10 STRATEGIC THINKING AND WRITING

Self-Awareness Check

What are the top three types of thinking you find yourself using? Why
are these your top three?
What experiences, people, or events have impacted your ability to
think?
Why is the definition of critical thinking so ambiguous?

Knowledge Check

1. Thinking in order to separate a whole into its basic parts

a. Abstract thinking
b. Creative thinking
c. Analytical thinking
d. None of the above
2. Thinking that involves focusing on a finite number of solutions
a. Convergent thinking
b. Creative thinking
c. Divergent thinking
d. Critical thinking
3. Thinking that pertains to careful evaluation or judgment
a. Convergent thinking
b. Creative thinking
c. Holistic (nonlinear) thinking
d. Critical thinking
4. Thinking that refers to the ability to process information in an
­orderly prescribed manner
a. Convergent thinking
b. Creative thinking
c. Holistic (nonlinear) thinking
d. Sequential (linear) thinking
5. Thinking that involves designing new and innovative ideas by break-
ing from established thoughts and going “outside of the box”
a. Convergent thinking
b. Creative thinking
c. Holistic (nonlinear) thinking
d. Critical thinking
 The Types of Thinking 11

Understanding How You Think

The adjacent pie chart illustrates three categories of knowledge:

• things you realize you know – ex: you realize that while driving a car
you stop at a red light
• things you realize you don’t know – ex: when going in for heart sur-
gery you realize you don’t know how to do that yourself
• things you don’t realize you don’t know – there are no examples here,
well, because, you don’t know what you don’t’ know.

Ex: I realized I knew the benefits of yoga but also realized I did not
know how to practice yoga. I did not realize I did not know there were
various forms of yoga to practice (exs: Ashtanga, Yin, and Vinyasa).
To understand what you know you must first examine how you think.
For example, why do you know anything at all to be true? This is an im-
portant question to ask if you want to understand how you think. Let’s
deconstruct the first category as a demonstration of identifying how you
think. You realize you know that while driving a car you stop at a red
light. How did this thought process come to rest in your mind? As with
most knowledge we obtain there are three determinants that contribute
to our awareness.
12 STRATEGIC THINKING AND WRITING

• Individuals
?? Who are the family members that influenced you?

?? Who are the teachers that left an impression on you?

?? Who are the co-workers that contributed to your life experience?

?? Who among your friends influenced you more than others?

• Experiences
?? What experiences have changed you as a person?

?? What experiences did you refuse to let change you as a person?

?? What experiences did you prevent yourself from having because

you were afraid?

?? What experiences do you hope to have in the future?

• Reflection
?? How much time do you allocate for reflection on a daily or

weekly basis?
?? How often do you reflect upon the lessons learned regarding a

specific experience?
?? Do often do you discuss and reflect with the support of others?

?? How do you feel during reflection? What emotions often arise?

You realize you know that while driving a car you stop at a red light
because a) your mother taught you how to drive; b) you experienced
stopping at a red light while driving with your driving instructor; and
c) you were required to reflect on the need to stop at each red light you
encountered.
Exercise: To better understand how you think about what you think
about ask yourself how you think about the following quote from Jeff
Foster “When there is fear, pain, confusion or sadness moving in you, do
not despair or come to conclusions about yourself. Be honored that these
misunderstood guests, at once both ancient and timeless, weary from a
lifetime’s lonely travel have finally found their home in you. They are chil-
dren of consciousness one and all, beloved children of yourself, deserving
of the deepest respect and friendship. Offer them the deep rest of yourself,
and let them warm their toes by your raging fire.” As you reflect on what
you think about this statement, identify those people, experiences and
emotions that contribute to your thinking. Doing so can help you better
understand how you think.
 The Types of Thinking 13

Thinking Exercise #1: Connect the Nine Dots

Nine dots are arranged in a set of three rows. Your challenge is to draw
four straight lines which go through the middle of all of the dots without
taking the pencil or mouse pointer off the page. Start from any position
and draw the lines one after the other. Each line starts where the last line
finishes.
Try it a few times and then review the solution. Do not look at
the answer until you have either given up or found a solution of your
own. Do not give up too easily! The answer appears at the back of this
publication.

How Did You Solve the Puzzle?

Think back to how you were solving the puzzle. Did you solve it by trial
and error or did you think through a strategy? Spend a moment thinking
about how you solved it and what changes in your thoughts were needed
to get you there. The beauty of this nine-dot puzzle is that you literally
14 STRATEGIC THINKING AND WRITING

have to “think out of the box” to solve the puzzle. Your pencil or mouse
must go outside the box of the dots. There is no other strategy to use.
The most frequent difficulty people have with this puzzle is that they
try to draw all the lines within the dots and they do not initially want to
draw lines outside of them because:

1. There is nothing outside the set of dots to associate to. There are
no dots to join a line outside the puzzle so they assume a boundary
exists.
2. It is assumed that doing this is outside the scope of the problem,
even though the problem definition does not say that you are not
allowed to do so.
3. You are so close to doing it that you keep trying the same way but
harder.

Lessons to Be Learned from This Puzzle

Look beyond the current definition of the problem.

• Analyze the definition to find out what is allowed and what is not.
• Are there any real rules to the problem anyway? (An especially valid
point in human-related problems—there are only perceptions, not
physical rules.)
• Look for other definitions of problems.
• Do not accept other people’s definitions of problems. They may be
either wrong or biased.
• If a problem definition is wrong, no amount of solutions will solve
the real problem.

Investigate the Boundaries

• What are the boundaries which the solution must fit into?
• Are the boundaries your own perceptions or the reality?
• What are the possibilities if you push the boundaries?
• What are the benefits of small boundary changes?
 The Types of Thinking 15

Hard Work Is Not (Always) the Solution

• Repeating the same wrong process again and again with more vigor
does not work.
• You can be very close to a solution while not getting any closer to
reaching it.
• Thought is the solution; physical hard work will not work.
 Index
Abstract thinking, 6
Active voice, 107–108
Ad hominem, 23
Adjective (thinking), 4
Allais, Émile, 47
Amazon, 39
six-page memo. See Six-page memo
specific elements of, 78–79
American Character: A History of
the Epic Struggle Between
Individual Liberty and the
Common Good, 33
American Customer Satisfaction
Index, 77
Amundsen, Roald, 30–31
Analytical thinking, 6
Anchoring bias, 18
Anderson, Steven, 43
Appeal to authority. See Ethos
Appeal to emotion. See Pathos
Appeal to logic. See Logos
Arden, Paul, 45
Argumentative appeals, 81
Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen, 124
Arrends, Brett, 91
Arum, Richard, 8
Availability heuristic, 18
Bandwagon effect, 18
Beaufre, Andre, 37
Begging the claim, 23
Bernanke, Ben
economic outlook and monetary
policy by, 90–91
Bezos, Jeff, 39–40
2018 letter to shareholders, 77–79
six-page memo, 73
BHAG. See Big Hairy Audacious Goal
Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG),
57–58
Bixby letter, 91–92
Blank rubrics, 102
Blind-spot bias, 18
Bloomberg, Michael, 41
Blue Ocean Strategy versus Red
Ocean Strategies, 64–65
Boitnott, John, 115–116
Botelho, Elena Lytkina, 44
Brainstorming, 58–59
prioritize results of, 59
Carson, Shelley H., 45
Choice-support bias, 18
Circular argument, 23
Clustering illusion, 19
Cognitive biases, 17–26
versus fallacy, mental models and,
26–28
Collins, James, 57
Concrete thinking, 6
Confirmation bias, 19
Conservatism bias, 19
Consumer-to-consumer opinions, 118
Convergent thinking, 6–7
Creative thinking, 7
Creativity, 45
implemented in brain, 46
Critical thinking, 7
note on, 8–10
Critique versus criticism, note on,
101–102
Customer Satisfaction Index, 78
Customer service, 118
Deductive reasoning, 89
Desmarais, Michael, 9
Divergent thinking, 7
Duckworth, Angela, 121
Dyer, Jeff, 43
The Economist, 1
Edison, Thomas, 2–3
152 INDEX
80/20 rule, 42
Either/or conclusion, 24
Elder, Linda, 9
The Elements of Style, 107
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 42
Ethos, 76
writing strategies, 82–84
Exercise
360 Degrees, 31–35
connecting nine dots, 13–15
ethos, pathos and logos, 94–96
How Good Do You Want to Be?, 69
milkshake, 51–52
Fallacies, 23–25
versus bias, mental models and,
26–28
First-rate intelligence, 31
Fluff, 108–109
Focusing illusion, 120–126
Fosbury, Dick, 47
Fosbury Flop, 47
French Skiing Federation, 47
Gardner, John, 123
Goals, 55
Big Hairy Audacious Goal, 57–58
long-term and short-term, 56
SMART goals, 57
stretch goals, 57
Goldman, Ellen F., 37
Grammar tips, 107–110
Greek-style yogurt, 29
Gregersen, Hal, 43
Grit, power of, 121
Grove, Andy, 75
Hamdi Ulukaya, 28–29
Hamermesh, Daniel, 120
Hasty generalization conclusion, 24
High jump, 46–47
Hill, Napoleon, 43
Holistic (nonlinear) thinking, 7
Human race, 41
Hygiene factors, 123
Hyperbole, 108
Ilie, Livia, 116
The Impact of Time Approach, 74
Information bias, 19
Inherit the Wind, 17
INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy
Institute, 64
Intel, 75
The Journal of Strategy and
Management, 37
Kahneman, Daniel, 18, 27
Kapler, Brian, 45
Key Performance Indicator (KPI), 116
Killy, Jean-Claude, 47–48
Kim, W. Chan, 27, 64
King, Martin Luther, 86
Knowledge, categories of, 11
Knowledge check
cognitive biases, 22–23
critical thinking, 10
fallacies, 25–26
thinking, 5–6
KPI. See Key Performance Indicator
Krishnamurti, Jiddu, 48–50
Land degradation-neutral world, 114
Law of the instrument, mental model,
27
LeWitt, Sol, 92–93
Logos, 76
writing strategies, 88–93
Long-term goals, 56
Manufacturing, 113
Marine pollution, 114
Maslow, Abraham, 27
Mauborgne, Renée, 27, 64
McKinsey Global Institute, 117
Mencken, H. L., 41
Mental models, 27
Mikhail, Nader, 117
Minnesota Department of
Health, 55
Moral equivalence, 24
Motivation, 123
Nagengast, Judy, 9
Narrative, power of, 76–77
National Football League (NFL), 50
Needleman, Sarah E., 9
Nouns (thinking), 4
and verbs, 109
 INDEX
153

Obama, Barack Salience, 20

democratic presidential candidate Scissor kick technique, 47
acceptance speech by, 83–84 Scott, Robert Falcon, 30–31
night before the election speech SDGs. See Sustainable Development
Manassas, 86–88 Goals
Potomac primary night speech, 84 Selective perception, 20
Ostrich effect, 19 Self-awareness
Outcome bias, 19 role of, 75–76
Overconfidence, 19 Self-awareness check
cognitive biases, 21–22
Pareto, Vilfredo, 42 critical thinking, 10
Passive voice, 107–108 mental models, 28
Pathos, 77 thinking, 5
writing strategies, 84–88 Sequential (linear) thinking, 7
Pederson, Doug, 50 Short-term goals, 56
Picasso, Pablo Ruiz, 44 Six-page memo
Placebo effect, 20 Jeff Bezos’ 2018 letter to
Porras, Jerry, 57 shareholders, 77–79
Post hoc ergo propter hoc conclusion, 24 power of narrative, 76–77
Powell, Colin, 42–43 reason for, 73–74
Pro-innovation bias, 20 reflection and self-awareness, role
Profile in strategy of, 75–76
20 miles a day, 30–31 structure of, 74–75
Blue Ocean Strategy of Starbucks, 68 Slippery slope conclusion, 25
Chobani, 28–29 Small-and medium-sized enterprises
Doug Pederson, 50 (SMEs), 113
Ridley Scott, 94 SMART goals, 57
SMEs. See Small-and medium-sized
THe Psychology of Science, 27 enterprises
Smithson, Michael, 39
Qualifiers, 109 Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Question and Answer Approach, 75 Realistic, and Time-bound.
See SMART goals
Reagan, Ronald, 87 SPOT. See Strategic Planning Outline
Recency, 20 Template
Red herring, 24–25 Starbucks, 65
Red Ocean Strategies versus Blue Blue Ocean Strategy of, 68
Ocean Strategy, 64–65 Stereotyping, 20
Red Ocean Traps, 27 Strategic business writing, 17–18
Reflection, role of, 75–76 assessment rubric, 97
Robinson, Ken, 45 evidence (20 points), 99
Rubric, assessment, 97 organization (10 points),
evidence (20 points), 99 99–100
organization (10 points), 99–100 paper focus/introduction (20
paper focus/introduction (20 points), 98
points), 98 strategic writing (30 points),
strategic writing (30 points), 98–99 98–99
timeline and length (10 points), timeline and length (10 points),
100–101 100–101
writing style (10 points), 100 writing style (10 points), 100
154 INDEX

critique versus criticism, note on, Tanner, Jennifer Lynn, 124

101–102 Thinking
grammar tips, 107–110 components of
process, 103–106 mental models and difference
timeline templates, 106–107 between bias and fallacy,
Strategic Planning Outline Template 26–28
(SPOT), 63 profile in strategy, 28–31
Strategic thinkers thinking exercise, 31–35
canvas, 66–67 top 20 cognitive biases, 17–26
traits of, 38–44 critical, 8–10
Strategic thinking definition of, 1–6
ending thought, 48–50 exercise, 12–15
introduction, 37–38 types of, 6–8
need to think differently, 44–48 understanding how you,
process of 11–12
business, strategies and tactics in, Thinking, Fast and Slow, 27–28
61–62 Thought, definition of, 49
canvas, 66–67 Time, 107
goals, 55–58 Timeline templates, 106–107
profile in strategy, 68 20-miles-a-day strategy, 30
starting point, 53–55 components, 30–31
Strategic Planning Outline Tversky, Amos, 18
Template, 63
strategies, 58–60 U.S. Department of Health and
tactics, 60–61 Human Services, 55
thinking exercise, 69
understanding blue versus red Verb (think), 4
ocean strategies, 64–65
profile in strategy, 50 Wall Street Journal, 8
thinking exercise, 51–52 Walsch, Janet, 86–87
top 15 traits of strategic thinkers, Watermark, 106
38–44 Whatever You Think, Think the
Strategic writing topics Opposite, 45
focusing illusion and your college Woodward, Colin, 33
major, 120–126 Writing
introduction, 111–112 strategic business, process of. See
Sustainable Development Goals, Strategic business writing,
112–115 process
top 10 business issues, 115–119 strategies
Strategies ethos, 82–84
in business, 61–62 introduction, 81–82
three-step process, 58–60 logos, 88–93
Straw man, 25 pathos, 84–88
Stretch goals, 57 profile in strategy, 94
Strunk, William, 107 thinking exercise, 94–96
Survivorship bias, 20
Sustainable Development Goals Yoga, 11
(SDGs), 112–115
Tactics, 60–61 Zero hunger, 112
in business, 61–62 Zero-risk bias, 20–21
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