Stakeholder pressures continue to push organizations to make job cuts and other changes to meet Wall Street expectations. In an era where job security is not a guarantee, how can you make yourself more valuable to your organization? If you begin approaching your work with a strategic mindset, you will not only elevate your own strategic thinking in these areas, but you will also become significantly more valuable.
Today and tomorrow, Promotional Consultant Today will share key tips from Jill Johnson, president and founder of Johnson Consulting Services, on how to provide more strategic input to your organization—no matter your role.
Identify The Strategic Information That Management Needs From You
Management is typically evaluated on business growth and profitability. Identify what they base their decisions on and think about the strategic information they need to confidently make those decisions. Then determine what you can do to more effectively link your daily work with their decision-making processes, needs and concerns.
Do some homework to make sure you understand their key responsibilities and the issues management is facing in their leadership roles. This will help you to identify where your role intersects with their goals.
What do they need from you? How can you add value? Can you offer suggestions for improving productivity or profitability? Can you identify new opportunities to expand sales?
There are many steps you can take to understand the key strategies of your organization. Read articles that include comments from your company’s top executives. Look at your company’s annual report or review your entire company website to gain more perspective. Read articles in industry publications. As you better understand the business issues, you will gain clearer insight on how to link those strategic issues directly to your role and responsibilities.
Incorporate this strategic thinking into how you engage in your daily job responsibilities. Be alert to emerging opportunities that will improve problem solving, expand networks, increase earnings, enhance job satisfaction and increase productivity. Look for revenue implications, customer retention and areas of community impact. The opportunities for you to strategically create impact are all around you.
Actively work at improving your ability to think strategically. Find resources to help you learn and practice your critical thinking skills. Make yourself more valuable by the work you do, the ideas you generate and the insight you can provide.
For more strategy tips, read PCT again tomorrow.
Source: Jill Johnson, president and founder of Johnson Consulting Services, is a highly accomplished speaker, award-winning management consultant and author of the forthcoming Bold Questions series. Johnson helps her clients make critical business decisions and develop market-based strategic plans for turnarounds or growth. Her consulting work has had an impact on business decisions worth nearly $4 billion.
