Here's how you can enhance your career decision making with strategic thinking.

Strategy often becomes synonymous with goals. But are goals required? Not necessarily. You can develop strong systems that move you forward, even in the absence of clear targets.

Where do you need to get more strategic? That's a great question to start with. Do you need to develop a team-, department-, or organizational level strategy? I would recommend you start with curiosity, not goals to really get dialed into where you want to focus.

To thoroughly assess your skills, consider using a skills matrix or a self-assessment tool. List your current skills and rate your proficiency in each. Compare this with the skills required for your desired career path. For any identified gaps, create a personalized development plan. This might include taking online courses, attending workshops, or gaining hands-on experience through volunteer work or internships. Additionally, seek feedback from mentors, colleagues, or industry professionals to gain an external perspective on your strengths and areas for improvement. Regularly reviewing and updating your skills inventory will keep you aligned with your career goals and ensure continuous professional growth.

When considering your next step on your career ladder, I suggest the following: * Find a great mentor who knows the company well and understands your skillsets. Make sure this person will lift you up when you are not in the room. * Find opportunities to job shadow. Spend time observing the key responsibilities of the role. * Make connections with people associated with roles you may consider. Spend time each week getting to know one person. Think of these folks as informal mentors. You want to be top of mind when the role becomes available. * Be vocal about what you want your next step to be. * Create a career ladder to identify different ways your career can move through different roles and paths.

Talk to others that are on a path you may want to be on. Ask specific questions to get their insights. What do they wish they would have known? How did they gain the experience needed? What do they recommend?

Take the space to decide if action is even needed. Sometimes not taking action is a strategic decision that can create space for other experiences and information. Take the time to determine if action is really needed and will make an impact.