4 Types of Thinking Leaders Need to Practice

Have you ever noticed how some weeks feel like you're just spinning your wheels, while others have you making meaningful progress?

For me, the difference often comes down to one thing: whether I've made time for deep thinking!

That's why I've claimed Thursdays as my "Thinking Day" – it's been a game-changer! (Though I'll admit, sometimes it mysteriously transforms into "Oh-no-I-have-three-urgent-calls-and-forgot-about-that-report Day" )

But when I protect this time, magic happens. I've found there are 4 specific types of thinking that make all the difference :

1. Expert Thinking: The deep knowledge that makes you confident in your field. It's why you can spot patterns your new team members miss and why you can make rapid decisions that others might agonise over. Expert thinking is like having an internal GPS that's been programmed with thousands of routes. You've been there, done that, and can navigate efficiently.

When to use it: When you need quick, reliable responses based on established knowledge.

2. Critical Thinking: This is where we put our expert thinking on pause and ask, "But... what if I'm wrong?" Critical thinking means questioning the very foundations our expertise is built on. Is your information current? Complete? Are you even solving the right problem? Last week, our team was stuck on a project until someone asked, "Are we even answering the right question?" That simple reframe broke our logjam and led to our best solution yet.

When to use it: When experts disagree, traditional approaches fail, or problems keep recurring.

3. Strategic Thinking: Strategic thinking isn't just analytical planning – it's imaginative possibility-seeking! It's less "how do we execute?" and more "what could be?"This is where your inner dreamer gets to play. What if we could completely reinvent our approach?

When to use it: For big decisions with long-term impacts, future planning, or anticipating market shifts.

4. Systems Thinking: Systems thinking sees how everything connects. It's understanding that pulling one thread affects the entire tapestry.This type of thinking requires visualizing complex relationships – which is why my office walls are covered in whiteboard diagrams that make perfect sense to me and look like beautiful madness to everyone else.

When to use it: For understanding complex situations, identifying patterns, or designing for emergence (when the whole creates something the parts alone cannot).

Here's the kicker – none of these thinking types works best in isolation.

Magic happens when we practice them together and, when we practice them in teams.

Thinking is enhanced by different perspectives, and asking better questions.