Become a great strategic thinker | Ian Bremmer

Your mind is a software program. Here’s how to update it, explained by global political expert Ian Bremmer.

Political scientist Ian Bremmer highlights the importance of strategic thinking, which he defines as "thinking about thinking." It's a process that involves analyzing macro themes, recognizing patterns, and understanding how different factors (at the country, company, and individual level) create trade-offs for leaders.

Strategic thinking isn't so much about responding to headlines or current events as it is taking a long-term view, one in which you're continually revisiting your worldview and updating it when necessary.

Being open-minded and curious about different perspectives, as well as comfortable with the possibility of being wrong, are important parts of the process. As an example of a great strategic thinker, one may cite Nelson Mandela for his ability to set aside personal feelings for the good of a country's long-term future.

Bremmer is the founder of Eurasia Group, an organization that for 25 years has been using political science to help investors and corporate decision-makers better understand how politics impact risks and opportunities in foreign markets.

0:00 Strategic thinking
2:35 Key qualities of a strategic thinker
5:02 A strategic role model
6:17 Summary

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About Ian Bremmer:
Ian Bremmer is president and founder of Eurasia Group, the world’s leading global research and consulting firm, and GZERO Media, a company dedicated to providing intelligent and engaging coverage of international affairs. Ian is also a frequent guest on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, the BBC, Bloomberg, and many other television stations around the world. Ian has published ten books, including the New York Times bestseller Us vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism which examines the rise of populism across the world. He also serves as the foreign affairs columnist and editor at large for Time magazine. He currently teaches at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University.

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[ReflectionOcean]

- Recognize patterns across macro themes to anticipate future trends [0:42].

- Regularly challenge and update your personal worldview in response to a changing world [1:52].

- Embrace curiosity and openness to improve strategic thinking skills [2:39].

- Engage with diverse and differing worldviews to enhance strategic thought processes [3:13].

- Build the habit of considering opposing perspectives, much like a workout routine for the mind [4:03].

- Understand and accept that different backgrounds lead to different, but not necessarily opposing, worldviews [3:23].

- Strive to see others as protagonists of their own stories, fostering empathy in strategic considerations [4:54].

- Learn from strategic thinkers like Nelson Mandela, who prioritized long-term values and ethics over immediate gains [5:07].

[mwelch]

I’d love to see big think become a podcast that dives into these things in hours long discussions

[rainzoro]

Strategic/Critical thinking is all about asking the question why. So it has a lot to do with curiosity, but not necessarily has to do with excelling at any specific work. As a student, I’ve always hated school because they never taught me why I should study a specific subject. For example, I’d rather learn what mathematics is used for before learning 1+1=2. As a critical thinker, I have a tendency of trying understand the big picture, like how things work. If I don’t have it, I will never be passionate in doing what I’m doing. I need to know the purpose, and that’s when the real work begins. It’s also why I’m always watching youtube clips on quantum theory and general relativity, documentaries about space although I don’t understand any of it. I watch these to figure out why I exist from the first place, let alone my 9-6 job.

[Dil.Careem]

The key to strategic thinking is understanding the goal we want to accomplish or the problem we want to solve. It may sound easy, but it's not.
Rather than writing my goal as it is, it's crucial to understand “Why” I want to achieve my goal.
Plan wisely!

[raymondtendau]

Nothing in life is as important as you think it is while you are thinking about it.
-Daniel Kahneman

[jamesmaduabuchi]

There might be an economical turmoil but there is no doubt that this is still the best time to invest.

[DerekTheLeadershipStrategist]

Brilliant strategist Col. John Boyd, once said, "He who can handle the fastest rate of change survives." He's the man who created the OODA Loop which is an acronym for Observe-Orient-Decide-Act.

[VioletWander]

Thank you for putting this into words for me. How to connect to those around me has been a challenge and the words are what I need to figure it out. Thank you.

[ojshilinski]

This is GREAT! I identify with this way of thinking - it helps me to understand the me in me a little bit better, helping to understand my insatiable curiosity about everything since I can remember is a good thing even tho' I've felt like a dodo many time in my life.

[GarrickPinon]

I had lunch with Nelson Mandela during college and he was amazing in person as well. He had such a peaceful presence. It was profound just being in the aura of someone’s who stance & strength has been credited with helping undo apartheid.

[reinaldomartinez]

this type of content centers me and reminds me who I truly am. Everytime i feel like i've deviated from what makes me, me, I find myself returning to here.

[itsdhruvilshah]

Didnt know that 6 minutes can be so insightful, definitely changes my world view, in the sense that info cant be conveyed effectively in short form videos, this one changed it. Definitely reading your book.

[global_nomad.]

As an MA design educator, this is a good summary of the way we think about considering the direction or travel of society and the world. Our students designing buildings and space need to design for at least 2 or 3 years into the future - the whole conception of thinking needs to have a strategic view or speculative framework for imaging the situation in a few years time and being conscious of what will shift the current context.

[frankelkjr]

Mark Twain -" The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why."
-I can only think of this quote after watching this 6min masterpiece

[JH-]

Excellent discussion and insights on the topic. Thank you!

[FromHousewifeToPilot]

When I heard Ian Bremmer mentioned about Nelson Mandela, that had brought me back in time to March 1997 when Nelson Mandela was visiting Singapore. I was walking towards the building ready to start my work and from a distance I could see our Late Former Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong was showing Nelson Mandela around the building. That moment was a golden opportunity and an unforgettable experience for me. I would never have expected that opportunity shown up in my reality.

[josemarialaguinge]

Be open and analytic, embrace learning from being wrong.

[ayoungethan]

Strategic thinking is intrinsic to holistic management. Holistic decision making is a means of crowd sourcing and integrating diverse perspectives. It requires that we have no ideological biases in the toolkit to allow us to choose what is most context appropriate. Lastly, it acknowledges complexity's implication of management context as a moving target and part of planning requires implementing and maintaining feedback loops through monitoring context assuming that we are drifting off course (rather than presuming we are on course until evidence becomes unavoidably obvious) to avoid confirmation bias and allow for early, proactive and subtle course correction.

[bestpakistan]

I would like to extend my deep gratitude towards Sir Ian Bremmer for this wonderful guidance.

[sajansrraj]

Strategic thinker is understanding the goal and making best ways to achieve the goal. Understanding the big picture and making plans for the future . while thinking about the strategy action he should be curious and open. If the strategy is made is should be revisted again after certain time