Full course description
Dates: 5 May, 2026 & 22 May, 2026
Modality: In-person & Online
Duration: In-person 5 May, 2026 (9am – 4pm); Online 22 May, 2026 (9am – 12pm)
Price: $1604 ( incl. GST). If you are eligible for the UoA Staff or Auckland Council Training Member discount, please email shortcourses@auckland.ac.nz.
Strategic thinking is a fundamental skill for effective leadership and decision-making, yet it is often misunderstood, oversimplified, or overcomplicated.
This course is designed for experienced professionals who want to refine and expand their strategic thinking capabilities. Strategic thinking goes beyond theoretical concepts—it is a practical, dynamic, and human-centred process essential for navigating complexity and driving intentional progress in an ever-changing environment. Whether you are tackling complex decisions or shaping your organisation’s strategic direction, this course will provide the tools, frameworks and clarity needed to hone your approach and boost your confidence.
Through interactive exercises grounded in real-world examples, you will explore the human element of strategic thinking and gain clarity on how to apply proven frameworks and widely recognised tools within a cohesive strategic process.
By the end of the course, you will have a deeper, more nuanced understanding of strategic thinking, enabling you to refine your expertise and develop a sharper, more focused perspective. This course is essential for professionals who aspire to strengthen their strategic capabilities and make more informed, impactful decisions.
Short course structure and topics covered:
Day One
- Defining strategic thinking, and its fundamental components
- Developing a language - pieces of the strategic thinking process puzzle and levels of strategic thinking
- Why we are not built for strategic thinking, and what can help
- The Thinking and the Thinker – 6 Capabilities of a Strategic Thinker model
- Recognising key elements of strategy
- Application: Strategy scenario and exercises
- Common strategy tools and terms, and where they fit
Between Day One & Two
- Source strategy and strategic thinking examples
- Translate and diagnose using the STP framework and 6 Capabilities model
- Reflection exercises
Day Two (half-day online)
- Presentation of findings (individual or small group)
- Discussion on reflections and learning
Short course benefits and learning outcomes:
Participants will:
- Have a strategic thinking framework to guide your thoughts when developing strategy, solving complex strategic problems, making decisions, and discussing strategic challenges with others.
- Reflect on your own thinking process and use this awareness to gain clarity and appreciate the complexities of thinking strategically in real-world contexts.
- Translate and diagnose strategies and their rationales.
- Be familiar with common strategy tools and understand their use, benefits and limitations.
- Reflect on your own strategic thinking capability.
- Build confidence in your own strategic thinking capability and become a more active strategic thinker in your organisation.
Benefits to your organisation:
- Improve decision-making through greater clarity in strategic conversations.
- Increase participation in strategic discussions through increased confidence, thereby bringing more voices to the table, and encouraging diversity of thought and richness of discussion.
- Improve the quality of strategies developed, making them more likely to succeed.
Who should attend? / any entry requirements?
- Professionals who want to extend and build on their understanding of the strategic thinking skillset.
- Mid to senior level leaders who want a framework for thinking about their team’s strategic challenges and developing strategy for their areas of responsibility.
- Experienced managers and technical specialists who want to be able to communicate, advise and contribute at strategic levels of their organisation.
- Members of senior teams (project, leadership, advisory, boards) who want to gain clarity on how to think and communicate on strategy and strategic challenges.
If you would like to inquire about this course being run inhouse, please email shortcourses@auckland.ac.nz
Payment for short courses is normally by credit card. If you need to pay by invoice or require assistance, please email shortcourses@auckland.ac.nz. Please note that the University does not issue individual invoices for amounts less than $500 New Zealand dollars.