Create a “Case Future”

Regardless of your role, level, or plans, developing your strategic thinking skills will serve you well. In most companies, looking to the past—the traditional case history—is a way to convince others of the value they can bring. Unfortunately, rarely do those same circumstances present themselves in the future.

Instead of looking backward, challenge yourself to look forward. Create “case futures”–what you would do under certain scenarios—as a framework for your thinking. Doing so before important meetings ensures that you will be prepared to add significant value to the conversation and hopefully stretch your colleagues’ thinking as well.