BIG PICTURE THINKING

Andrew Sobel, consultant, educator & authority on client relationships, also author of the book, 'All for One: 10 Strategies for Building Trusted Client Partnerships', shares his expert insights on 'Big Picture Thinking' in his weblog.

Here's the link to Part I, Part II & Part III of his extensive blogpost.

Accordingto him, there are three major ingredients of 'Big Picture Thinking':

• Foundations;

• Tools and Techniques;

• Habits of Mind;

Once the foundations are in place, there are four specific techniques that you can use to develop the 'Big Picture' for your clients:

1. Develop Simplifying Frames;

2. Use Analogies and Metaphors;

3. Develop Multiple Perspectives;

4. Look for Patterns and Commonalities;

In a nut shell, the essence of 'Big Picture Thinking' is the ability to synthesise, i.e. to identify the overaching patterns & themes in our daily observations & seemingly never-ending findings from information, to "connect all the dots", so to speak, & to pull them all together as a whole to determine the valuable strategic insights, & the appropriate tactical responses, for ourselves & our organisations, as well as for our clients, if any.

I concur with him: the ability to synthesise - which is the root of strategic thinking - is a critical skill for all professionals, especially when it comes to earning enduring client loyalty.

I like to leave the following quote from internationally renowned marketing expert Al Ries as food for thought:

"No computer is as smart as a human being with a holistic point of view."