Society has become more complex, competitive, and domineering. These conditions require strategic thinking introverts to take more active roles in their transformation. Strategic thinking introverts must use their introversion as a competitive advantage and build and protect their power and influence.
Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Taking the necessary precautions in a harsh and domineering world is essential because, with every positive move, there will be people conspiring to thwart these efforts.
The Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc. describes Strategic Thinking as “…A process that defines the way people think about, assess, view, and create the future for themselves and others… They (strategic thinkers) are skilled at thinking with a strategic purpose and creating a visioning process. They have both skills and use them to complement each other.”
Strategic thinking is not merely a nice-to-have skill but a need-to-have tool.
Lynch (2019) said that: For years, “strategic thinking” has been reserved for executive team meetings or board rooms as part of a firm’s strategic planning process. However, the highly dynamic environments we operate in today means that the assumptions and agreements that form the basis of strategic plans can shift dramatically between these highly structured planning processes.
Strategic thinking is a marathon as opposed to a short sprint.
Craig (2018) suggested that…strategy requires you to take a long view of life. It’s not just about solving today’s problems — it’s about planning for tomorrow and next week and ensuring these problems don’t recur again.
For strategic thinking introverts, thinking strategically in a harsh world is essential because they are acutely aware of the consequences of irrational behavior. Typically, these introverts go through life with an inborn nervousness due to a lifetime of overthinking issues, criticisms, and fear of physical harm.
Like many introverts, they exaggerate the possibilities of impending doom, even when such an occurrence appears highly unlikely.
This perceived paranoia might seem unreasonable to other personality types because such sensitivity is unimaginable. However, strategic thinking introverts view such concerns as real and must create defense mechanisms to combat their internal dialogue.
For strategic thinking introverts, the world can be frightful because their life choices have brought about high degrees of optimism and positivity. Overly rude and angry people scare these introverts because they cannot imagine the scope of such discontentment.
And if they feel threatened, these introverts think that offenders intend to inflict extreme bodily harm, if not death.
As a result, they create highly evolved self-defense mechanisms that, once activated, can create unusual carnage and mayhem. In many communities, it is understood that quiet and reserved people are to be left alone because of the mystery surrounding the unknown.
However, in a domineering or “muscular” society, people are consistently attempting to usurp the power of others. And introversion is often seen as a sign of weakness by those uninitiated in the fine art of nonverbal communication.
The power of strategic thinking introverts comes from their critical analysis, preparedness, and contingency plans.
Critical Analysis
Strategic thinking introverts have an uncanny ability to assess problems, benchmark solutions through best practices, determine if the solutions are applicable, and create viable recommendations.
Reoccurring problems that appear to be patterns are assessed and dealt with by institutionalizing the process to eradicate future occurrences. In the instances where there is fear, measures are put into place to address this fear.
Instead of a step-by-step process, philosophies entail a way of responding to deliberate and automatic situations. For example, if a strategic thinking introvert repeatedly encounters a co-worker constantly making snide remarks or oversteps the boundary of common decency, extreme silence or unemotional responses might be a response. If it is emotional fear, intellectual or deeply vetted philosophies are implemented as a default measure.
What’s the philosophy here? The first law of thermodynamics suggests that energy is never lost or destroyed but transformed from one state to another. If you cut off the oxygen to a living organism, it dies.
If you cut off the energy supply of irrational behavior, the energy recirculates elsewhere or changes to another state.
Preparedness
The notion of “Don’t get ready, stay ready” is suitable for strategic thinking introverts. They fix things before they are broken. This preparedness is due to a high moral compass and advanced personal responsibility. These introverts cannot live with the thought that a catastrophe resulted from their nonfeasance.
Consequently, any unfortunate events that can be anticipated will be dealt with before any such occurrences. Does this mean that strategic thinking introverts do not make mistakes? Of course not. They are still human.
However, they go to great lengths to protect what they can control. And they are introspective enough to realize when something is bigger than their capacity to respond effectively.
Whether the outcome is positive or negative, they have resigned themselves to the results of logical reasoning.
Contingency Plans
If Plan A goes awry, strategic thinking introverts have a Plan B or contingency plan. Because they are voracious readers and spend much time thinking and writing, they can develop projects with little preparation. Also, they are adept at recognizing patterns and can create impromptu solutions if required.
Their minds are depositories of large volumes of information that allow them to pivot at a moment’s notice. For strategic thinking introverts, spontaneity might seem lucky, but constant thought, reflection, and insight make it such that even spontaneity has a degree of order to its process.
For strategic thinking introverts, the road to self-actualization is paved with critical analysis, preparedness, and contingency plans. While opponents will always attempt to offset the aspirations of strategic thinking introverts, they will always find a way to achieve their goals despite the world’s challenges.
Eminent professor Joseph Campbell once said, “Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.” Dedicate yourself to winning over challenges. The fate of the world depends on it.
References
Campbell, J. (n.d.). Quote pictures. Brainy Quote. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3BkbVBW.
Craig, W. (2018, Feb. 27). Strategic thinkers are found to be the most highly effective leaders. Forbes. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3b6jcLd.
Lynch, C. (2019, May 1). Why is strategic thinking important now more than ever? Focused Momentum. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3ODfian.
Strategic thinking: 11 critical skills needed. (n.d.). Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3OFjDts
The three laws of thermodynamics. Lumen. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3PY3wZi.
