Grow Your People and Profit — Strategically
Think about the last time you were in a leadership meeting where the conversation went sideways. Where a group couldn’t articulate and align their goals and strategies. Where the discussion spiraled into a tactical rabbit hole instead of moving forward. Where you left wondering how, despite all their experience and leadership development investment, people are still not strategic.
Now multiply that moment by each manager, director, and VP in your organization — all year long. That’s the cost of a leadership pipeline that doesn’t think, plan, and act strategically.
“As an HR and People Leader, I’m always looking for ways to better align talent strategy with overall business goals, and the Strategic Thinking and Planning System led by Rich Horwath was an incredibly powerful experience. For any HR or People Leader looking to elevate their strategic impact and better connect people strategy to business results, I highly recommend this approach.”
Melanie Rydalch, CHRO, Litehouse Foods
What Happens When Leaders Aren’t Strategic?
If your leaders aren’t strategic:
- There is no common language for strategy, which means unclear direction
- You spend more time reacting to one-off requests than shaping the future
- They get stuck in the tactical weeds, unable to break out of the status quo
- Your best leaders burn out firefighting instead of growing their people
- They get sucked into the quicksand of too many priorities and not enough time
- You lose high‑potential leaders who want clarity, focus, and direction — not chaos
75%
of companies do not teach strategic
skills
54%
of companies do not have a common language for strategy
43%
of managers cannot state their own
strategy
40%
of a manager’s week is wasted on
irrelevant tasks
Elevate Your Leadership Development to a Strategic Level
The STRATEGIC Ecosystem solves your challenges by giving you a strategic operating system to measure, develop, and embed strategic thinking, planning, and execution capability across your entire leadership pipeline. Most leadership development happens in bursts: an annual kick-off meeting in Q1, a workshop in Q3, maybe a 360 review or online course.
The STRATEGIC Ecosystem offers you a holistic approach by combining facilitated live learning and on-demand, self-paced learning to grow your leaders in an organized, structured way all year long. Consisting of weekly microlearnings, interactive workshops, digital platforms, gamified courses, and AI coaching, it measures progress at two checkpoints that you can use to demonstrate ROI with your C-suite business partners.
The framework ensures your leaders’ strategic capabilities are measured, developed, and sustained throughout the year:
All Tiers
Measure
Gap & ROI
Establish a strategic capability baseline and track progress/ROI at months 6 and 12
Assessment
Strategic Quotient (SQ) Assessment
A validated measure of an individual’s strategic capabilities as exhibited through mindset and behaviors:
- 50-statement validated assessment across three dimensions: Acumen (Thinking), Allocation (Planning), and Action (Acting)
- Administered twice yearly to all leaders
- Cohort report benchmarks your team relative to other leaders
Scales by Tier
Facilitate
Live & Interactive Learning
Live experiences led by Rich Horwath that build strategic capability directly
Webinars
Live webinars with Rich Horwath
Interactive 1.5-hour virtual sessions with exercises, peer discussion, and Q&A led by Rich Horwath. Strategic tools applied directly to participants’ businesses.
Workshops
In-person and virtual sessions
Customized in-person and live virtual sessions led by Harvard Business Review and New York Times bestselling author Rich Horwath on topics most relevant to the group.
Coaching
1:1 executive coaching (add-on)
1:1 strategic leadership coaching for SVPs, EVPs, and C-suite executives. Two sessions per month for a six-month period with Rich Horwath.
All Tiers
Embed
On-Demand & Self-Paced Learning
Strategic capability built into the daily and weekly rhythm of leadership
Platform
Strategic Fitness System
A state-of-the-art executive development platform with micro-courses and the Strategic AI Coach to build strategic capabilities year-round:
- 50 structured 20-minute workouts
- Digital Strategist Journal
- StrategyPrint plan
- Access to the Strategic AI Coach
Course
StrategyMan Strategic Thinking Game
A gamified, video-based, 12-level course designed to increase an individual’s strategic thinking and planning capabilities.
Microlearnings
Strategy Espresso
A weekly shot of strategic thinking in the form of an article, infographic, video, or audio delivered to participants via email for one full year.
Resource Hub
Strategy Vault + Strategic AI Coach
An online searchable resource center containing 200+ articles, videos, podcasts, infographics, templates, and the Strategic AI Coach.
Ready to Grow Your Organization’s Strategic Ability?
What Does the STRATEGIC Ecosystem Give You?
- The confidence to tell your CEO, “Yes, we have a strategic leadership bench — and here’s the data to prove it,” backed by Strategic Quotient (SQ) metrics and an enterprise‑wide capability lift
- Clarity that your leadership pipeline is built on a common strategic language and threshold strategy skills at every level, not just a few talented individuals
- The competence across your leadership population to move from order taker to a true strategic partner driving profitable growth
- Relief from the one‑off, event‑based programs because strategy-specific skill development is built on a continuous strategic operating system that’s embedded into the daily and weekly rhythm of leadership
- Pride in seeing your leaders walk into meetings with a common language, strong plans, shared frameworks, and the courage to make real trade‑offs, rather than reacting to the loudest fire drill
What Does the STRATEGIC Ecosystem Give Your Leaders?
- Greater confidence to sit at the table as true strategic partners
- A simple process and practical tools to develop a plan for their work
- A framework to make smarter decisions about their time, resources, and priorities — reducing wasted effort and burnout
- Higher‑quality conversations, more productive meetings, and more time spent on achieving their goals instead of constant chaotic reactivity
- A sense of control and progress, because they can see their Strategic Quotient scores improve and their impact on the business grow
Experience Architecture
Every leader is placed in one of three groups based on their level. Resources are purpose-built for each group’s scope and are deployed continuously throughout the year for maximum organizational development.
Group 1
Strategy Architects
SVPs, EVPs, C-Suite
Leadership Pipeline: Leading Enterprise
Designing enterprise strategy — setting direction, evolving the business model, and defining competitive positioning.
- SQ Assessment (×2/yr)
- Strategy Espresso Microlearnings (weekly)
GROUP-SPECIFIC RESOURCES
Strategic AI Coach
Executive thinking partner for enterprise decisions, accessed from the Strategic Fitness System on-demand
- On-demand
- executive use
Workshops
Live sessions led by Rich Horwath on topics and tools from the STRATEGIC book and agenda items shared in advance by the executive team
- Live
- book included
Outcomes
Strategy Architects
SVPs, EVPs, C-Suite
They feel surrounded by people who can actually do strategy, not just execute it. They spend less time on unnecessarily escalated issues and more time creating the future state of the business. The leadership conversations beneath them rise in altitude and their confidence in their people increases.
Group 2
Strategy Practitioners
Directors & VPs
Leadership Pipeline: Leading Leaders
Actively practicing strategy, making resource allocation decisions, and leading cross-functional execution.
- SQ Assessment (×2/yr)
- Strategy Espresso Microlearnings (weekly)
GROUP-SPECIFIC RESOURCES
Strategic Fitness System
50 micro strategic leadership workouts as a sequential development program with progressive practice
- On-demand
- self-paced
- digital
Strategic AI Coach
Embedded in the Fitness System — AI thinking partner for day-to-day strategic work
- On-demand
- decision support
Live Webinars
Virtual sessions hosted by Rich Horwath — strategic thinking & planning exercises, peer interaction and Q&A
- Live
- interactive
- recorded
Outcomes
Strategy Practitioners
Directors & VPs
They show up to resource allocation conversations with an enterprise view instead of competing instincts. They lead their teams with a clarity that reduces confusion and escalation. They feel like the strategic bridge they’re supposed to be, not a relay station for fire drills.
Group 3
Strategy Learners
Managers
Leadership Pipeline: Leading Others
Building strategic thinking skills and applying them with a defined scope across teams, functions, and projects.
- SQ Assessment (×2/yr)
- Strategy Espresso Microlearnings (weekly)
GROUP-SPECIFIC RESOURCES
StrategyMan Strategic Thinking Game
12-level gamified, video-based course building foundational strategy knowledge and skills
- On-demand
- self-paced
- digital
Strategy Vault + Strategic AI Coach
200+ tools and frameworks with an AI Coach for on-demand strategic reference
- On-demand
- reference
- digital
Webinar Recording Access
Group 2 sessions on-demand within 60-day window
- On-demand
- 60 days
Outcomes
Strategy Learners
Managers
They stop feeling reactive and overwhelmed. They have a framework for their work: a plan they created, a language to defend it, and the confidence to bring it to their leader. For the first time, they feel like strategic contributors, not just executors.
Ready to Grow Your Organization’s Strategic Ability?
“Rich Horwath and the Strategic Thinking Institute have given us a common language to talk about strategy along with a clear and concise process for developing strategic direction. Our business leaders have embraced the approach and are using it to drive meaningful results for the company. If you are looking for a way to elevate your team’s strategic thinking and planning skills, the Strategic Thinking Institute will exceed your expectations. Since our initial workshop with Rich, we have partnered with him over the past 10 years to facilitate our key leadership team meetings and provide strategic coaching to our executive team.”
Erin Stucky, President and CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
How Does the STRATEGIC Ecosystem Compare With & Complement Other Leadership Development?
Here’s how the Strategic Ecosystem compares with and complements your current leadership development initiatives:
| Dimension | Traditional Development (what you already do) | The STRATEGIC Ecosystem (what you add) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Broad leadership competencies (communication, coaching, feedback, situational leadership) | Deep, strategy‑specific skill development in how leaders think, plan, and act strategically |
| Approach | Individual programs or courses delivered episodically | Integrated enterprise strategy system that measures, develops, and embeds strategic capability across all leadership levels continuously throughout the year |
| Measurement | Completion rates, post-event surveys, 360 feedback | Validated Strategic Quotient (SQ) assessment that establishes a baseline and tracks strategic capability lift at 6 and 12 months |
| Sustainability | Learning events that spike engagement, then fade | Year‑round business ecosystem with assessments, live learning, on‑demand platforms, microlearning, and the Strategic AI Coach |
| Expert Access | Varies, but rare from thought leader creator | Live access to Harvard Business Review and New York Times bestselling author of 8 books, Rich Horwath |
Packages & Pricing
Choose the STRATEGIC Ecosystem tier that matches your enrolled leader population. All tiers deliver the same three-group experience architecture.
Tier 2 if enrollment > 300 at renewal
Tier 3 if enrollment > 500 at renewal
Tier 4 if enrollment > 750 at renewal
Tier 5 if enrollment > 2,000 at renewal
Based on actual deployment scope
Ready to Add Strategy-Specific Skills to Your Leadership Development?
“We have worked with Rich Horwath and the Strategic Thinking Institute for 15 years. We have searched high and low for other strategy programs, and none come close to the content, expertise, and delivery that Rich brings. You will not find a better approach to develop strategic thinking capabilities anywhere. Rich is a true partner.”
Alison Pulte, Director of Leadership Excellence, Novartis
34%
increase in
profitable growth
57%
increase in Strategic
Quotient skills
64%
of senior executives believe Strategic Thinking is the most important leadership capability*
*Human Capital Media Research
“There simply is no one perfect strategy that will last for all time. There are multiple ways to win in almost any industry. That’s why building up strategic thinking capability within your organization is so vital.”
A.G. Lafley, CEO of P&G
A McKinsey & Co. study of 250,000 executives showed that setting strategic direction is the most important role of a leader and the number one factor that improved organizational health.
“My vision is to teach the world to be strategic. I believe that if leaders think, plan, and act strategically, they will maximize their time and talent to achieve their goals. My true passion is working directly with leadership teams to help them apply practical strategic thinking tools to significantly improve their performance. A unique and value-added aspect of the STRATEGIC Ecosystem is the opportunity for your leaders to interact directly with me through in-person and virtual workshops as well as 1:1 coaching. I have helped more than one million leaders over the past 25 years develop their strategic capabilities through live workshops, 8 books, and 500+ resources. I’d love for you and your leaders to join me on this journey.”
Rich Horwath, CEO, Strategic Thinking Institute
Rich Horwath, CEO of the Strategic Thinking Institute and New York Times bestselling author of 8 books on strategy, helps leadership teams increase their ability to think, plan, and act strategically to set direction, create advantage, and achieve their goals.
“The world’s foremost expert on strategic thinking.”
~ Chief Executive Magazine
“I learned more useful and practical strategy tools in one day with you than in five days at the Wharton Executive Education Program on Strategy.”
Michael Tomcsanyi, National Director, Sunovion
Your Organizational Development Solution
The Strategic Ecosystem is your strategic operating system to measure, develop, and embed strategic thinking, planning, and execution capability across your entire leadership pipeline continuously throughout the year.
If you’d like to explore how the STRATEGIC Ecosystem can help you and your organization significantly grow your people and profit, schedule a conversation today.