i once had a staff member concerned that she thought my assessment of her was that she was underperforming (her self-evaluation based on her activities during my workplace walkthroughs). That wasn’t my assessment, but wanted to shift the paradigm from her projected perceptions to providing her confidence as she implemented strategic habits. i asked her to bring her traffic light document and share her growth progress (more on what this tool is later). As she shared, i highlighted her growth and the way her ‘reds’ were turning ‘green’, indicating she was displaying the habits that would drive key organisational outcomes. She didn’t need me to tell her how well she was going, this self-assessment tool answered the question for her . . . on any one day.
Over the past few months i have pivoted to more intentional listening to those in the caddying circle. i have shifted focus from guessing what leaders and their emerging professionals need, and instead, asked them directly. i surveyed leaders across Australia and Fiji – both those running organizations and those hungry to grow within them.
And here’s what came back: There was an overwhelming result that your emerging leaders need to think more strategically. 78% of organisational leaders identified strategic thinking as a top development need. The qualitative comments indicate it’s deeper than strategic thinking, it’s strategic prioritisation.
Self discipline is an integral part of leadership and I would like to instil this in future leaders
Helping them strategically think about their priorities and areas to focus on. Not so much over a year but rather on a day by day and week by week basis
But here’s the twist that stopped me in my tracks.
They Know. And They Still Can’t Do It.
When i asked emerging leaders what they needed most, strategic thinking showed up on their lists too (67%). They’re not oblivious, they know it matters. But it appeared alongside recovering confidence, designing purposeful lives, and managing mental health.
They’re not disagreeing with you. They lack interpretation and alignment to your priorities as they are immersed in the whirlwind of daily work life. Here’s what i hear in caddying sessions when we dig into “why aren’t you thinking strategically?”:
I know I should be focused on the big picture, but I’m just trying to survive this week.
They’re not lacking the desire to think strategically. They’re buried under tactical noise with no clear framework for what actually deserves their attention. They feel like they’re treading water in the urgent, unable to reach for the important.
The Real Question Isn’t “Do They Think Strategically?”
It’s “Can they tell the difference between busy and impactful?”
Most strategic thinking training focuses on the big picture – three-year horizons, competitive positioning, market trends. That’s valuable for senior leaders. But your emerging professionals need something more fundamental first: strategic prioritization for their Tuesday morning.
They need to know which three things on their list actually move the needle, and which seven are just noise. They need a way to have that conversation with you that doesn’t feel like they’re admitting failure. They need a framework that shifts them from “i’m doing everything” to “i’m doing what matters.”
What’s Being Built
We’ve developed a tool specifically for this gap. It’s called the Traffic Light Document, and it does something simple but powerful: it makes the invisible visible. It creates a shared language between you and your emerging leaders about what strategic focus actually looks like in their specific role, on their actual Tuesday.
It’s not another goal-setting template. It’s not a performance management add-on. It’s a practical framework that helps your people identify what’s turning green (working), what’s stuck in red (not working), and most importantly – how to have the conversation with you about shifting from busy to impactful.
i’m testing it now with leaders and their teams. The early results are promising – real conversations about strategic priorities instead of vague frustrations about “lack of initiative.”
We’ll keep you posted as this rolls out.
Next month’s Field Notes will tackle a different gap the survey revealed. But this one matters because you’re not wrong that strategic thinking is the issue. You’re just trying to solve it at the wrong altitude.
Your emerging leaders don’t need to think like CEOs yet. They need to stop drowning in tactical noise first.
And as always, hit subscribe (or e mail feedback@yourlifecaddy.com) with what’s on your mind – your burning issues shape where the caddy goes next.
Each month this Field Notes for Leaders email will land in your inbox. Each month, i’ll share one insight from the survey data and the tool we’re building to address it. This is month’s tool: strategic thinking that actually works on a Tuesday morning.
If you’re tired of telling your people to “think more strategically” and not seeing it change, reach out. Sometimes the best first step is reframing what strategic actually means for someone still building their leadership muscles.
Your life caddy