Certificate in Strategic Thinking & Planning

Certificate in Strategic Thinking & Planning

Boost your strategic edge with our Certificate in Strategic Thinking & Planning. Master essential frameworks, make smarter decisions, and drive your organization’s success—ideal for leaders and professionals at all levels.

Program Overview

Empowering Leaders to Think Strategically and Achieve Results

Strategy is about identifying where you are, where you want to be, and determining the best way to get there. It involves not only deciding what to do but also what not to do—that is, making strategic trade-offs—as well as choosing where to go, why, when, and how.

This intensive workshop focuses on practical strategy in action. Throughout the course, we will examine a wide range of strategic thinking and analysis models and assess their relevance to today’s business climate. We will explore various approaches to strategic thinking, including sustainability, tensions, psychology, behavioral strategy, and how to blend creativity with entrepreneurship.

By identifying the critical link between a business’s overall vision and the operational decisions needed to implement and support the strategy, this workshop will cover numerous strategic models and frameworks. It will also provide the language and concepts necessary to give delegates the confidence to apply these models within their own organizations. Attending this workshop will boost your confidence in bridging the gap between strategy creation and implementation, thereby increasing the likelihood of success in your organization.

The course is highly interactive, combining theory with practical sessions. You will have the opportunity to share your experiences, learn from others through group discussions, and enhance your skills through a series of individual and group exercises.

Brought to you in partnership with Informa Connect Academy

This course is delivered in collaboration with BSI Global partner, Informa Connect Academy, a global leader in professional training and education. Together, we provide access to expert-led, industry-relevant learning experiences that help professionals like you stay ahead.

Earn the Informa Learning Certificate (ILC)

Upon completion, you will receive the Informa Learning Certificate (ILC)—a credential recognized for its rigorous standards and real-world impact. Each ILC-accredited course is independently validated to ensure you gain practical skills and knowledge that are relevant, actionable, and aligned with global workforce needs.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you’ll gain the knowledge and practical skills to transform your approach to strategy. These learning outcomes are designed to empower you to think critically, act decisively, and lead your organization confidently through today’s complex business landscape. Here’s what you’ll achieve:

• Understand the concept of ‘Strategic Thinking’ and the principles involved in setting the direction of your organization or business unit
• Leverage the tools and frameworks that you can apply to the process of strategic thinking
• Translate strategic intentions into operational plans against which the progress of your organization can be planned
• Identify the need for flexibility in strategic plans and how to respond to external circumstances – avoiding the danger of strategic rigidity
• Create your own ‘strategist’s check list’ to ensure that you are thinking and planning strategically

Who Should Attend Training?

This course is designed for Executives, Senior Managers, Business Unit Leaders, Regional Heads, professionals working in Strategic Planning departments, and anyone seeking a solid understanding of the frameworks and tools that shape strategic thinking.

It is also ideal for individuals who are already familiar with strategic concepts but would benefit from an intensive refresher on the latest thinking. Covering strategic thinking from a foundational “101” level through to more advanced concepts, the course is suitable for both those with no prior experience and those with some background in strategic thinking.

Certification Requirements

Learners must meet two criteria to be eligible for the Informa Learning Certificate (ILC), issued in collaboration with The Balanced Scorecard Institute (BSI):

Assessment

Learners are required to complete the end-of-course assessment with a pass mark of 70%

Attendance

Eligibility for the end-of-course assessment is linked to full attendance
Unavoidable absence of up to 2 hours of the total course duration may be considered upon prior written approval to Informa Connect Academy

Learners who do not qualify for the ILC/BSI certificate will receive a Certificate of Attendance from Informa Connect Academy, indicating the number of hours attended.

Course Outline

Introduction

• Workshop objectives
• Delegate objectives
• Housekeeping
• Agenda

Overview: Strategic Thinking vs Strategic Planning

• John Adair’s Action Centred Leadership (ACL)
• Strategy definition
• Approaches to strategy and strategic thinking
• 6 Dimensions of strategy
• 4 Approaches to strategy
• Porter vs Hamel
• The need for strategy
• Strategy formulation, implementation and management
• Levels of strategy

A Model for Strategic Thinking and Planning

• 7s Framework
• Strategy as a design process
• The Business Diamond
• Planned vs Emergent Strategy
• Reactive Strategy

Strategic Thinking

Organizational Analysis: Resources and Capabilities

• Resources vs Capabilities
• Core competencies
• Key Strengths Matrix
• Identifying areas of competitive advantage
• Value Chain analysis
• Strategic Importance Matrix
• Relative Strength Matrix
• SWOT
• Gap analysis

Organizational Analysis: Systems and Structures

• Human activity and goal alignment
• Mechanistic vs Organic structures
• Organizational structures

Strategic Planning

Growth Strategies: Organic vs Acquisition

• Growth strategies
• Market Entry
• Market Exit
• Hrebiniak’s Strategy Execution
• Organic vs Acquisition
• Case Study – A strategic dilemma in the navigation industry

Strategic Implementation

• Single vs Double Loop learning
• Positive vs Negative Feedback Loops
• Measuring Strategy: Budgeting and Forecasting
• Balanced Scorecard
• Optimizing Performance
• Variance Analysis and Root Cause Analysis
• Capital Budgeting and Building the Business Case
• Change Management
• The Kubler-Ross Change Curve
• Carnall’s Coping Cycle
• Kotter’s Change Model
• Stakeholder and Sphere of Power

Schedule and Registration