Critical thinking

Strategic thinking

Connect today’s choices to a clear direction, constraints, and trade-offs.

A practical starting point

Three principles to take into the conversation

  1. 1

    Name the outcome and the few conditions that matter most.

  2. 2

    Choose what not to do as deliberately as what to pursue.

  3. 3

    Look for second-order effects and signals that the strategy needs to change.

Try this opening

“If this is the outcome we want, which choice gives us the strongest path—and what are we giving up?”

Use the structure, not a script. Change the words until they sound natural and fit the person, context, and stakes.

Prepare in a few minutes

  • Write down the outcome you want from the conversation.
  • Separate what you observed from what you assume.
  • Choose one point the other person needs to understand.
  • Plan a question that makes room for their perspective.