The strategic thinking checklist (forces big picture)
I encourage my leaders to block one hour for strategic thinking to start the week.
But what are you actually supposed to do during that hour?
Here’s the checklist I use with my coaching clients to start big-picture thinking immediately.
Align time with top priorities:
What are my top 3 priorities this week tied to company goals?
Does my calendar reflect these priorities?
What meetings or tasks can I skip or shorten?
Where do I need deep work instead of more meetings?
What are the most important decisions I need to make this week?
Which conversations require strategic prep?
Scale through people and systems:
What am I doing about the top and bottom performers on my team?
What should I be delegating or empowering others to own?
Where can I create 10X moves (systems, hires, decisions) vs. small optimizations?
Am I spending enough time on the business (systems, people), not just in it?
Have I connected with peers or mentors outside the company for perspective?
Think at the company and industry level:
What is the exec team or board focused on strategically right now?
How am I moving the company-level metrics that matter most?
If I were a competitor, how would I beat us?
Am I making choices that matter 6–12 months out, not just this week?
What external or industry trends shape my work?
What am I doing to double the valuation of the company?
View the full strategic thinking checklist as a Google Document