I was reading a column earlier this week about the importance of pattern recognition as a key leadership skill, which got me thinking.

It seems that the best and most successful leaders are those that spot patterns and can use this recognition ability to take appropriate action more quickly. Rather like the way chess Grand Masters approach the game, in fact.

Quite simply, it reduces the amount of data needed to be processed to arrive at a conclusion and make a decision. Instead of poring over mounds of data, tabulating and summarising it, recognising patterns gives a faster and generally more accurate picture.

Patterns, of course, cover many areas – history (past successes and failures), economic (micro and macro), industry (competitors, and others) and cultural (employees and organisations), amongst others – and the leaders that can recognise these and act on them have a great advantage.

So, think about the patterns in your organisation, among your competitors, in your markets and draw on these to build your strategy and enhance your organisation’s success. It’s a leadership skill worth cultivating.

#BusinessFitness #Strategy #Leadership #Excellence

Some of my other short posts on leadership:

• Leading a Business in the “New Normal” Working From Home Age

• Leaders – Do You Think Like a Scientist?
• How Many of These 7 Leadership Questions Can You Say Yes To?
• Are You a Firefighter or a Fire Prevention Officer in Your Business?