The Top 5 Essentials A Scientist Needs To Become An Effective Manager Part 3

Have A Strategic Mind.

Photo courtesy of the Classical Review Blog - Krzysztof Urbanski leading the Grant Park Orchestra

So far in my 'Top 5 Essentials' list exploring what a scientist needs to become an effective manager, we have looked at the topics of 1) Having an interest in people and 2) Having a desire for a career in management.

In today's post we explore the need to have a strategic mind.

So what is a strategic mind?

I believe that this term describes someone who constantly sees a 'bigger picture' behind all the day to day activities of their job.  They have a vision for change that fits in with the objectives that they have been tasked with and know what needs to be done to get there.
Someone with a strategic mind will break down the bigger picture into smaller manageable chunks and delegate each chunk to the person in their teams with the best set of skills to achieve the task set.
The strategic thinker always keeps themselves focused on the overall progress and makes sure that their staff have what they need to get the job completed.

The strategic mind also assesses the risks associated with pushing towards the goals and plans for the worst whilst expecting the best.

Again the picture of a conductor in a symphony orchestra gives a helpful illustration.  The conductor doesn't have anything to do with how each instrument is played.  That responsibility is for the musician in place but the conductor has a responsibility on how the concert is delivered.

This 'bigger picture' idea is often called having the 'bird's eye view'.

So what are your thoughts about having a strategic mind?