Big Think: The smartest people have mastered these 6 core skills | Michael Watkins for Big Think+

Are great strategic thinkers born or made? The answer is both—a blend of nature, nurture, and experience. Just like a world-class marathoner needs the right physiology plus training, strategic thinking requires natural ability and deliberate development.

Strategic thinking is essential for leaders to spot emerging challenges, set priorities, and mobilize teams to adapt. Michael Watkins, leadership professor at IMD Business School, identifies six mental disciplines that underpin effective strategic thinking.

Pattern recognition is foundational: great strategists see beyond surface noise to identify critical signals and connections. Like chess grandmasters who see key board patterns, leaders detect opportunities, power concentrations, and vulnerabilities in complex situations.

Systems analysis is vital for navigating complexity. While no model perfectly captures all variables, simplified models—like those used in climate science—help leaders understand key dynamics and make informed predictions despite complexity and uncertainty.

Mental agility involves 'cloud-to-ground' thinking—shifting fluidly between high-level big-picture views and detailed analysis. This flexibility enables leaders to understand context and drill down into specifics when necessary for better decision-making.

Structured problem-solving with teams ensures rigorous framing and testing of options to solve the right problems. This process aligns stakeholders and builds enthusiasm for solutions, crucial when multiple interests are involved in organizational challenges.

Visioning balances ambition and achievability to motivate teams. Too ambitious and it demotivates; too achievable and it lacks excitement. Politics is inevitable in organizations, so strategic sequencing—thoughtfully engaging people step-by-step—builds momentum and minimizes opposition.