“To think strategically, you need to use deliberate thought processes to overcome biases that prevent you from identifying a strategic situation or real strategic problem in the first place,” explains Jackson Nickerson, Frahm Family Professor of Strategy and Organization.

“In class, we use case studies, hypothetical and current business situations – often shared by our executive students,” says Nickerson, “to practice the necessary steps in a successful strategic thinking process.”

Prof. Nickerson and students in the Strategic Thinking seminar.

Earlier this month, Nickerson taught a new two-day seminar called “Strategic Thinking” that is part of the Advanced Management Certificate, a non-degree program available through Olin’s Executive Education department. He also teaches in the Executive MBA program and is an associate dean and director of Brookings Executive Education (BEE). BEE is a partnership between Olin and Brookings that tailors business courses for managers in government agencies. Nickerson is also a non-resident senior scholar at Brookings.

To learn more about the Advanced Management Certificate program and the different strategic planning processes you can use to solve business problems, click here.

Image: Natalie Maynor, Street Chess in Amsterdam, Flickr, Creative Commons