Article
White paper - Essential strategic thinking models: A leadership playbook
By Ken Thompson, May 30, 2025 Last updated May 30, 2025Executive summary
This white paper by Ken Thompson outlines a practical framework for leaders and strategists by introducing eight essential models of strategic thinking. These models are mapped to seven common strategic challenges that leaders frequently face—from initial problem analysis to operational refinement. The guide serves both as a reference and a toolkit to support structured, effective strategic decision-making in a business context.
Key areas of strategic thinking
- General strategy development
Model: Quick start strategy
Focuses on seven core questions that help evaluate any strategic initiative from its current state to desired outcomes, including forces for and against change. - Business strategy formulation
Models: The value disciplines & five choices framework
The value disciplines model guides organisations to choose a dominant strategic focus (e.g., product leadership, operational excellence, or customer intimacy).
The five choices framework, drawn from Procter & Gamble’s leadership, redefines strategic formulation by focusing on where to compete, how to win, and what capabilities are needed. - Strategic execution
Model: Strategic execution checklist
A practical checklist to ensure alignment and coherence between strategy and operational implementation. - Strategic choices
Model: Risk-reward-cost matrix
Provides a structured matrix to evaluate strategic options based on cost, risk, and expected reward. Encourages analysis of the “do nothing” option as a baseline. - Competitive strategy
Models: SWOT analysis & Porter’s five forces
Traditional models used to assess internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats in relation to competitive dynamics. - Scenario planning
Model: PESTLE analysis
Supports long-term planning by analysing political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors to build future scenarios and resilience. - Enhanced operational thinking
Model: Lens-based thinking
Encourages leaders to adopt multiple perspectives (internal, external, and team-focused) to detect early warning signals and challenge existing assumptions.
Conclusion
The paper emphasises that these models are cognitive aids, not solutions in themselves. Their value depends on thoughtful application and thorough understanding of the organisation’s context. As succinctly put in the white paper: “A fool with a tool is still a fool.”