C-suite executives embrace strategic thinking as part of their regular routine. They intentionally take control of tomorrow by thinking about it today. They use their foresight to craft a strategy—thinking ahead with a design and a goal in mind. It might not be that easy, but leaders at all levels within the organization can take specific steps to get better at looking ahead.

It costs a lot to replace a good employee—some estimates put the cost at equal to or greater than the annual salary of the employee. Yet more than ever, employees want growth opportunities and paths for personal development to stay at a company. By helping good employees become great leaders, you not only position your company for success, you increase employee retention in the process.

It’s up to you, isn’t it? Employee development. At least that’s what everyone in your company tends to think. They look to you for direction on how best to cultivate that most critical resource in your organization—people.

The Ferrari LaFerrari is one of the fastest cars in the world. It boasts 950 horsepower and a top speed of 227 mph! But this powerful car can move nowhere unless its driver actually steps on the gas. Without intentional action, it will sit at the starting line forever with that incredible potential and power trapped inside. And so will your company.

If you are reading these words, you probably care about growing leadership capacity—both for you personally and for your entire team. You know how important it is for your company’s success that your leaders be equipped to make sound decisions that align with the big picture. If you’re concerned about how well your managers think about the big picture, you are not alone. Recent studies reveal growing concerns among employees that their managers and executives lack the skills necessary to lead effectively.

​We train our brain by the things we do. For example, experienced taxicab drivers have an abnormally large hippocampus, the portion of the brain responsible for navigation. Veteran violinists or keyboardists have an expanded motor cortex, the area of the brain associated with fine motor skills. Our brain is literally shaped by what we repeatedly do.