Difference between strategic planning and strategic thinking

Strategic thinking is a particular way of thinking that involves synthetic, creative & divergent
thought process that focuses on re-inventing the of the future, the creation a new competitive
market position an organization hopes to build in long term. In other words, it is a synthesizing
process utilizing intuition and creativity whose outcome is an integrated perspective of the
enterprise (Mintzberg ,1994). The purpose of strategic thinking is to discover novel, imaginative
strategies which to compete better, envision the future potential significantly different from the
present. Strategic thinking requires ability to see the organization not as an individual entity but
a part of business ecosystem (system thinking) , to be open to emerging opportunities from
dynamic business environment & ideas from across all levels of the organization (Intelligent
opportunism) , more determined & less distract towards strategic intent (intent focus) ,
connecting past with the present & linking to the future (thinking in time), creative & critical
thinking (hypothesis driven) as identified by Liedtka (1998). Strategic thinking questions the
strategic parameters avoid taken for granted (double loop learning). In simpler terms, strategic
thinking is what an organization wants to be in the long run & seeks answers for 'What should
we be doing, and why.

Strategic planning is the systematic programming of pre-identified strategies from which an

action plan is developed hence it often takes an already agreed upon strategic direction & helps
strategists decide how the organization is to be configured & resources allocated to realize that
direction. This normally indicates a programmatic, analytical thought process carried out within
the parameters of what is to be achieved & does not clearly & in detail question those parameters
hence taken for granted (singe loop learning). Purpose of strategic planning is to operationalize
the strategies developed through strategic thinking & to support strategic thinking process.
Simply, strategic planning seeks answers to how & when

Though strategic thinking and strategic planning are two different from each other, A broadened
view of the strategy making process incorporate both as related activities & each valuable in its
own right in an ongoing process of creating and disrupting the alignment between an
organizations present and its future.