Strategic Thinking and Decision Making : Varied Selections from my Column at Inc.com - Paul J.H. Schoemaker

Strategic Thinking and Decision Making

Varied Selections from my Column at Inc.com

By: Paul J.H. Schoemaker

Paperback | 4 February 2025

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This book contains fifteen chapters organised thematically around key themes but in a non-cumulative way. This means readers can randomly sample topics and sections of the book or dive into a single essay covering one specific issue in more detail (such as biases, mistakes, foresight, talent or teams). Either way, readers can assess if they agree with the approaches I offer or favour different perspectives. If the latter, they may wish to discuss the issues with some colleagues informally during a break or use it more formally to co-invest in team building and raising the group's strategic IQ. Sampling the collected sub-sections and chapters (whether in small bites or as one read-through) will help managers refine their own approaches to strategic thinking and leadership. Also, it may help align them better with colleagues or partners who come from different backgrounds, functional responsibilities or cultural orientations. It will soon become apparent to readers that my overall approach to business problems is very much behavioural. This means that I start an essay by identifying important management problems in a realistic business setting. Before offering any conceptual perspectives or prescriptive advice, we need to better understand the behavioural context of any problem. This varied case approach seeks to provide practical insights, tips or even full solutions, but not until the essence of the problem and its broader organisational and cultural contexts are sufficiently understood. Offering prescriptions without first getting well-grounded behavioural descriptions tend to result in failed interventions. Normative advice that is drawn from text books rather than real slices of life often amount to boxing with shadows on the wall rather than the real issues. As such, this book aims to illustrate for managers and leaders how to frame thorny management issues by (i) clearly defining a distinct business problem, (ii) viewing it through multiple lenses and (iii) creatively exploring pragmatic solutions.
Industry Reviews

Most boards and leadership teams deal with a relentless flow of surprises that increases the uncertainty they must manage. This book offers sturdy handrails for navigating and profiting from this mounting turmoil and unpredictability. Paul Schoemaker draws from his deep experience to make a compelling case for being open to different perspectives from diverse minds. By absorbing and applying his insights, leaders will be better prepared to avoid the pitfalls of focusing too narrowly or overlooking the broader strategic challenges.-George S. Day, Geoffrey T. Boisi Emeritus Professor, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA.

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