What can a strategic thinker bring to a construction, engineering or environmental company?
What is a strategic thinker?
A strategic thinker is someone who possesses a distinct set of skills that can move a business forward in growth. They can anticipate, think critically, interpret, decide, align, and learn. But what does this mean? Strategic thinkers can anticipate business needs and solve problems and get to the bottom of a situation by analyzing every aspect of it. They can interpret the meaning of data related to their success, as well as make executive decisions that will bring them even closer to success. Plus, they can get everyone on the same page by presenting the facts and keeping those around them informed and at ease.
The importance of a strategic thinker
Having at least one strategic thinker on every work team is essential for job sites to run smoothly. As the name implies, strategic thinkers can take in the information around them and turn it into a detailed plan, addressing the needs of the business in every way possible. Engineers and construction workers who have the ability to think critically possess one of the most valuable traits of a strategic thinker. In fact, it is difficult to even become an engineer without being a strategic thinker. Most people can only assess a situation at face value, while someone who can think critically can analyze what-if scenarios, thus tackling problems with the best solution. Strategic thinking engineers can troubleshoot their teams more effectively and find new and more efficient ways to get your business running. They do this by being able to interpret data from past experiences and scenarios and learn from past resolutions, combined with anticipating the current and future needs of the company.
Strategic thinkers do very well in managerial positions. With their critical thinking and qualities of anticipation, they can discern with astonishing precision how well an interview candidate will perform for the company. His ability to make decisions is unmatched. A project manager at a construction site who possesses the ability to mentally weigh the pros and cons of each potential outcome is an asset that any construction company would love to have. They can make informed and educated decisions about prospective employees or project proposals. A construction manager who is a strategic thinker will be able to deduce any potential problems with a plan or budget spreadsheet and deduce the best way to solve those specific problems. The construction site manager will be able to address your concerns and solutions with the company, customers, and their own co-workers and employees to ensure everything runs smoothly with everyone on the same page.
Identification of a strategic thinker in a job interview
I’m sure you’re thinking by now, “Where can I find one of these people?” Using some specific tools in the interview process can be crucial in identifying employee strategic thinkers who “look good on paper.”
First, you can give each candidate a problem to solve. Describe the problem to the potential employee and give them a few minutes to think about it. For example, you ask an environmental engineer how he would correct an excessive amount of waste at the local landfill. Ask them to describe the steps they would take to solve the problem. If you are a strategic thinker, you should have compiled a list of potential problems and a strategic plan, are awaiting future company forecasts and identifying external economic or environmental factors, and are figuring out how to consult with stakeholders or customers. of the company. You are looking for an omission of any of these steps, such as not addressing how customers may perceive this solution. For example, if your solution dramatically increases the cost of garbage services, they may not be thinking of the customer. Also, keep an eye out for a solution that doesn’t have enough strategic focus. They may claim that simply hiring more landfill employees to try and control the situation is all that would be needed, neglecting the fact that it will later cost more money to pay the new workers, which could increase the cost to the customer and reduce profits. for the customer. concerned parties.
Ask them questions and pay attention to the questions they ask you. A true strategic thinker will be excited about the potential of a strategic challenge and will ask a lot of questions about it. The environmental engineer will want to know how long the landfill problem has been prevalent, if it ever happened in the past, and if it is expected to continue to get worse. Finally, if you’re still unsure, consider presenting them with a flawed solution to a business problem and see how they strategically alter it to make it more profitable. Present your prospective construction site managers with a project site that has been rezoned and no longer matches the initial construction plan. They will weigh the changes that need to be made with the cost to customers and the business in mind, as well as environmental impacts. With enough questions, a strategic thinker will almost identify himself. Remember, how they answer your specific questions is how they will respond to situations in the work environment.