Even if you’re not the CEO or setting the company’s official strategy, you can still think and act strategically in your role. A strategic mindset allows leaders to anticipate challenges, find opportunities, and make smarter decisions—ultimately increasing their influence and value.
Here are ten tips to build and nurture your own strategic mindset.
See Beyond Your Role and Understand the Credit Union as a whole
Strategic leaders connect their responsibilities to the bigger picture and understand how different teams contribute to the credit union’s success.
How to Apply It
Read company-wide reports, financial statements, and strategic plans to see what leadership prioritizes.
Learn about key performance metrics like loan-to-deposit ratios, net promoter scores, and efficiency ratios.
Observe how external factors, such as economic trends and regulatory changes, impact the credit union.
Action Step:
Review financial updates to stay informed about the credit union’s strategic direction.
Build Cross-Departmental Relationships to Gain Strategic Insights
Strategic leaders expand their perspective by collaborating with leaders from different departments to align goals and improve outcomes.
How to Apply It
Schedule regular meetings with other departments such as marketing, lending, compliance, IT, and operations teams to discuss shared challenges and opportunities.
Look for ways your team’s work impacts—or is impacted by—other areas within your company.
Use insights from other departments to shape more informed decisions.
Action Step:
Identify one department outside of your own where collaboration could lead to better results.
Identify Trends Before They Become Industry Standards
Strategic leaders stay ahead of changes in member behavior, economic conditions, and technology so they can prepare for the future.
How to Apply It
Follow how members are changing the way they access financial services, apply for loans, and use their accounts.
Read reports on economic shifts, regulatory updates, and evolving member needs.
Participate in industry conferences, leadership forums, and networking groups to gain insights.
Action Step:
Dedicate 15 minutes per week to researching industry trends and summarize insights for your team.
Spot and Solve Patterns That Impact Performance
Strategic leaders recognize patterns in data, member feedback, and operational inefficiencies to drive improvements.
How to Apply It
Analyze recurring issues in member complaints, financial performance, or operational challenges.
Look at historical performance metrics to predict upcoming challenges or opportunities.
Work across teams to develop solutions that address the root cause rather than just symptoms.
Action Step:
Keep a strategic observation journal to track repeating trends and propose solutions.
Constantly Ask, “What’s the Next Move?”
Strategic leaders anticipate the impact of today’s actions on the future.
How to Apply It
Before making a decision, ask: “What will this lead to in six months?”
Develop contingency plans for different possible outcomes.
Conduct monthly strategy check-ins to review progress toward long-term goals.
Action Step:
For any major initiative, write down three possible future challenges and plan responses in advance.
Become a Master at Persuading Others to Support Your Ideas
Strategic leaders don’t just come up with great ideas—they know how to sell them to decision-makers and gain support.
How to Apply It
Use data, case studies, and real-world examples to strengthen proposals.
Align your ideas with organizational goals and key performance metrics.
Present ideas as solutions that benefit multiple teams, not just your own.
Action Step:
The next time you propose an idea, support it with one key metric and one success story from another company or credit union.
Challenge Conventional Thinking to Drive Innovation
Strategic leaders question outdated processes and rethink traditional approaches to make improvements.
How to Apply It
Identify areas where "we’ve always done it this way" thinking is holding the organization back.
Hold quarterly brainstorming meetings to challenge current methods.
Encourage team members to submit process improvement ideas.
Action Step:
At your next team meeting, ask: "If we were starting from scratch today, how would we do this differently?"
Develop the Ability to Think in Multiple Timeframes
Strategic leaders balance short-term goals, medium-term projects, and long-term vision.
How to Apply It
Categorize your priorities into immediate (next 3 months), mid-term (next 1-2 years), and long-term (5+ years).
Align daily work with larger strategic goals.
Plan for gradual improvements while also preparing for major industry shifts.
Action Step:
Structure your personal and team goals into short-, medium-, and long-term action plans.
Learn How to Read Between the Lines
Strategic leaders listen for what isn’t being said—whether in meetings, member feedback, or competitor actions.
How to Apply It
Pay attention to non-verbal cues and underlying concerns in conversations.
Notice what questions members aren’t asking but should be.
Study competitor moves to anticipate what’s coming next.
Action Step:
At your next leadership meeting, ask: "What’s the biggest challenge we’re not talking about?"
Think Like an Owner, Not Just a Manager
Strategic leaders take ownership of the credit union’s success beyond their job description.
How to Apply It
Treat decisions as if you were personally invested in the credit union’s long-term success.
Look for ways to increase revenue, reduce inefficiencies, and improve member retention.
Action Step:
Identify one area where you can make a direct impact on member growth or retention.
Building Leaders. Breaking Limitations.
Dima Ghawi is a catalyst for leadership transformation, guiding professionals and organizations to shatter limitations, embrace growth, and lead boldly. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.
Ready to break the limitations that holding you back? Connect with Dima at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.
