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."
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