{"id":6762,"date":"2026-10-18T17:13:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:13:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/strategic-thinking\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T17:18:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T15:18:00","slug":"strategic-thinking","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/strategic-thinking\/","title":{"rendered":"Strategic Thinking for Managers: Managing Up, Stakeholders and AI"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; background_color=&#8221;primary&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:215;padding_bottom:90&#8243; md_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:185;padding_bottom:80&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:155;padding_bottom:60&#8243;][vc_column][tm_heading tag=&#8221;h6&#8243; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; font_weight=&#8221;700&#8243; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;secondary_color&#8221; font_size=&#8221;lg:16&#8243; letter_spacing=&#8221;2px&#8221; line_height=&#8221;1.2&#8243; text=&#8221;Knowledge Center for Managers \u00b7 Stage 05 of 05&#8243; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;18px&#8221;][tm_heading tag=&#8221;h1&#8243; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; font_weight=&#8221;700&#8243; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; font_size=&#8221;sm:32;md:44;lg:54&#8243; line_height=&#8221;1.15&#8243; max_width=&#8221;900px&#8221; text=&#8221;Strategic Thinking for Managers: Managing Up, Stakeholders and AI&#8221; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;][tm_heading tag=&#8221;div&#8221; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; font_size=&#8221;sm:18;lg:20&#8243; line_height=&#8221;32px&#8221; max_width=&#8221;760px&#8221; text=&#8221;As you rise in rank, the work moves from the team to the system around it: your manager, senior leadership, other departments, the market and AI. In this guide I gathered what I\u2019ve learned about managing up, communicating with senior leaders, organizational politics, strategic thinking and entrepreneurship.&#8221; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;26px&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-byline&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/about\/\">Ronen Frieman<\/a>, leadership and executive-team strategist and ICF-certified executive coach \u00b7 Updated September 2026 \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/\">Back to the Knowledge Center<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html 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\/>\n[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:80;padding_bottom:90&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:50;padding_bottom:60&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-article&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-tldr\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-tldr-label\">IN SHORT<\/p>\n<p>This stage deals with the system beyond the team: organizational navigation and politics, the stakeholder map, strategic thinking, market trends and AI, entrepreneurship and business ownership. Strategic thinking is not an innate trait. It is the ability to look at reality through a systemic, forward-looking perspective, identify patterns and trends, and make decisions based on them. The simple rule: think at least one range above your role.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav class=\"rfkg-toc\" aria-label=\"Table of contents\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-toc-title\">IN THIS GUIDE<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#strategic-thinking\">Strategic thinking: one range up<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#new-role\">Entering a senior role: mapping before action<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#managing-up\">Managing up: even with a difficult manager<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#senior-communication\">How to communicate with senior managers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#politics\">Organizational politics and the stakeholder map<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#ai\">AI and the vertical multi-layer manager<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#entrepreneurship\">Entrepreneurship: pivot, MVP and a support system<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#framework\">How this connects to the Identity-Aligned Leadership Cycle<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h2 id=\"strategic-thinking\">Strategic thinking: one range up<\/h2>\n<p>Strategic thinking is a skill you can learn. A table by Chris Williams helps make sense of it. It crosses two axes: spatial range, from the individual through the team, the division and the company to the world outside the company, and time range, from now through weeks and months to decades. On the table you can place an employee, a team lead, a C-level executive and a CEO. Most people think within their own range. To advance, you need to lift your head and think at least one range above: how what I do affects others and advances the organization\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n<p>When this becomes a habit, visibility in the organization improves. Not because you made noise, but because your impact is clear to those around you. Strategic thinking closed a series I wrote about advancing in an organization. Three more things that help you advance:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Take on management tasks before the promotion.<\/strong> The work does not speak for itself. Managers have to believe you will also succeed at the tasks of the next role. Start with an open conversation with your manager about wanting to try. Then identify which important tasks are left aside because the manager cannot get to them. That is where the opportunity lies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Communicate your successes, in your own way.<\/strong> Promotion decisions are usually made two or three levels above you, by people who do not know your contribution in detail. Keep a living successes document, update in real time and not at the end of the year, and use a fixed format for the 1:1: what was completed, challenges for next week including proposed solutions, and a plan with priorities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Think in terms of skills, not experience.<\/strong> Ask yourself: in which situations do I act well even when there is no clear answer, which tasks am I trusted to close all the way, and what is the last thing I learned without anyone asking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And don\u2019t wait for the organization to train you. We moved from a world where whoever holds the knowledge and the answers is appointed to manage, to a world where the manager is the one who knows how to ask the right questions. Volunteer for the next complex project. Such projects let you learn by doing, and come with access to other managers and forgiveness for mistakes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%97%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%91%D7%94-%D7%90%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%92%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%A7%D7%93%D7%9D-%D7%91%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%92%D7%95%D7%9F-activity-7385950598367547393-Pv-I\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Strategic Thinking, One Range Up<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%94-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A9%D7%9B%D7%93%D7%90%D7%99-%D7%A9%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%97%D7%95-activity-7370705005093412864-sBbu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Management Tasks Worth Taking On Before the Promotion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_2-%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%A2%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9B%D7%93%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%A7%D7%93%D7%9D-%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%91%D7%93%D7%94-%D7%90%D7%99%D7%9A-%D7%9C%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%95%D7%A7-activity-7363102366964891648-Oxdh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Communicate Your Successes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%9E%D7%97%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%91%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%AA%D7%A2%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A7%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%91%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D-activity-7416365843229528065-ldkI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">From Work Experience to Thinking in Terms of Skills<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_management-innovationmanagement-business-activity-7063724683107418112-TDzX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Don&#8217;t Wait for the Organization to Train You<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"new-role\">Entering a senior role: mapping before action<\/h2>\n<p>When entering a new management role, almost everyone has advice, and usually it is not relevant: be assertive, don\u2019t share emotions, always know all the answers. That same week three completely different coachees conveyed the same difficulty to me. The common denominator: none of them stopped at the entrance to the role to map the role and the organization and build a work plan on that basis.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What is the gap between expectation and reality?<\/li>\n<li>What do the employees and managers say?<\/li>\n<li>In which areas do I know I struggle?<\/li>\n<li>Which three big tasks will I choose for the coming quarter, and approve with management?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The real challenge arrives in the second management role. A director or someone more senior leads dozens or hundreds of people and is squeezed from every direction: expected to think at the macro level and to master the details, almost without support. Most companies invest in training first-time managers, and very little in senior managers, who advanced to get there on the run.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_adgackacsacpacqackacradfadeack-acwacpackaclacs-activity-7162686783686746113-OKg8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mapping Before You Step Into a New Role<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acuacwackacpaciacladg-acpacpacyacladbacuacwackacsacp-activity-7160155978376609793-3aEU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Real Challenge Arrives in Your Second Management Role<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"managing-up\">Managing up: even with a difficult manager<\/h2>\n<p>No relationship in an organization is more critical than the one between an employee and their manager. There are red flags worth knowing: a manager who is focused on himself and decides on personal considerations, a manager who does not support you and keeps you from resources, micromanagement, and an inability to listen or accept feedback. But it takes two to tango. You may be the employee who is hard to trust, which is why your manager is controlling. Check yourself: do you go behind your manager\u2019s back? Compete with them instead of collaborating?<\/p>\n<p>A manager I coach started venting before he even sat down. After a kickoff, his manager said he trusted him completely and did not want to micromanage, and for a week now he has been dodging the meeting at which he is supposed to be updated on a problem. Even if your manager is toxic, you still need to manage effective communication with them. It will not make you friends, but it will make the relationship productive.<\/p>\n<h3>The tool: responses prepared in advance<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The goal is not to win but to influence, and to deliver a clear, neutral message.<\/li>\n<li>Identify patterns: when and how they approach you, a WhatsApp under pressure, a sudden call, bypassing.<\/li>\n<li>Adapt your wording to their style: what they hate hearing, and what makes them feel in control.<\/li>\n<li>Before every interaction define the goal of the conversation, and which three main topics you will raise. No more.<\/li>\n<li>Ask yourself before a hard meeting: what is my main goal, how is the other side likely to respond and what are my responses to each scenario, and in which state, composed, inclusive or calm, do I want to be in the meeting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And there is a limit. When the manager repeatedly changes the targets and the promotion criteria after they have already been met, it may be gaslighting, a type of psychological abuse that undermines your sense of reality. There the steps are a feedback conversation about the act itself, clear boundaries in communication, and, if that does not work, turning to HR or to the manager\u2019s manager.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%93%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%90%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C-%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9C-activity-7261988622885654528-88CE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Red Flags for a Toxic Manager<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%99%D7%91%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%91%D7%99%D7%97%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%9A-activity-7264155388244082689-58vJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Maybe You Are the Problem<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%90%D7%99%D7%9A-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%97%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%98-%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A9-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%AA%D7%92%D7%95%D7%91%D7%94-%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%9C-%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C-%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9C-activity-7352932874062311424--ckW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Deciding Your Response in Advance, With a Toxic Manager<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%95%D7%90%D7%99-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%99%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%A8-%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%92%D7%9E%D7%98%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%9B%D7%9B%D7%94-%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%97%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%94-activity-7048194851745480704-Ivnb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">I Wish I Were More Pragmatic<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_aciacmacsacpacpacoacpacwaci-ackadgacuaclacjacjacladgacyactacgadgaciadeacpact-activity-7153271370754240515-fPw0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gaslighting in the Workplace<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"senior-communication\">How to communicate with senior managers<\/h2>\n<p>A manager at a large organization told me she had been preparing for a week for fifteen minutes with the CEO. You can learn this in five minutes, but first you need to understand the state of mind of senior managers. They are very busy, responsible for many domains, and their most precious resource is time. The result is low attention and strong filtering mechanisms. They ask themselves three questions: why should this matter to me, why now, and why is the person talking to me the right one. The responsibility for delivering the message is yours, not that of whoever receives it.<\/p>\n<h3>Two structures that work<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>What, So What, Now What.<\/strong> What is the topic, why it matters to the audience, and what it requires of them. As Frank Luntz wrote, it is not what you say, it is what people hear.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Information, context, remaining actions.<\/strong> A structure for a sharp answer to a senior person who asks a hard question. Know in advance what each senior person needs to hear.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And a senior manager has to be multilingual, not in languages but inside the organization. I was in a shouting meeting among sales, product and development, where everyone was sure the others did not understand. Every specialty has its own working methods, starting assumptions, jargon and goals. Clarify the terms, and check how the task connects to the organizational vision from the point of view of the department facing you.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%9C%D7%AA%D7%A7%D7%A9%D7%A8-%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%91%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D-activity-7287378400636248064-wEuF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Communicating With Senior Leadership<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_adaacpadgaclacnacuaddadcaclacyacp-acuacpaclacuacwaclacpacladgadgaddadfacladeadg-activity-7289522580112183296-vytc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What, So What, Now What<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%97%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%94-%D7%91%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%94-%D7%91%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A2-%D7%A9%D7%A2%D7%91%D7%A8-%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%AA%D7%99-activity-7218479493890400256-IzBu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Being at Ease With Senior Leadership<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_acuacwackacpaciacladgadeachadgacnaclacuacpadg-activity-7073879089572454400-GJF_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Senior Manager Has to Be Multilingual<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"politics\">Organizational politics and the stakeholder map<\/h2>\n<p>I don\u2019t like the term organizational politics, because of the negative feeling it carries. It makes us attribute negative traits to colleagues and turn them into demons who make illogical decisions. The odds of eliminating organizational politics entirely are low. It is not playing the game, and it is not something to run from. It is understanding the people we work with and working with them more effectively. Conflicts are a natural byproduct of any organization with teams that have different goals and compete for resources.<\/p>\n<h3>The tool: the stakeholder map<\/h3>\n<p>A simple strategic tool that almost nobody uses, and the first task I give almost every manager I coach:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Map your management goals and the milestones for reaching them.<\/li>\n<li>Prepare a full list of stakeholders: people, teams, departments, customers and suppliers. Who will be affected by the project? Who can influence its success or failure? Who holds power in decision-making?<\/li>\n<li>Analyze each one\u2019s power, influence and interest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And from there to Nemawashi, an informal Japanese process for building agreement before making decisions. A manager who had just entered a senior role told me about a crisis with a veteran employee that reached the CEO, who summoned both of them to a conversation in two days. I asked what would happen in the conversation. He answered: \u201cI don\u2019t know, I\u2019ll find out in the conversation.\u201d With an informal channel to the CEO, he could have gotten a picture in advance and even delivered his messages before the meeting.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_adaaclacsacpacoacpaddackabracgadeaciaclacwacpadg-activity-7167760264182808576-IwMT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%97%D7%95%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%A4%D7%AA-%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%99-%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9F-activity-7302938474700038145-4wEq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Stakeholder Map<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_nemawashi-%E6%A0%B9%E5%9B%9E%E3%81%97-%D7%94%D7%95%D7%90-%D7%AA%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9A-%D7%A2%D7%A1%D7%A7%D7%99-%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%A0%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%90-%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%99-activity-7241317382198087680-nf8K\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nemawashi, Laying the Groundwork Before the Conversation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%9C-%D7%A1%D7%9B%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%9D%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%94%D7%9D-%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%A8-activity-7221023815273750528-7mUB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Managing Conflict<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"ai\">AI and the vertical multi-layer manager<\/h2>\n<p>AI agents are erasing the classic management layers. A 2026 article by Van Quaquebeke, Gazdag and Lee calls an employee who manages a fleet of semi-autonomous agents a vertical multi-layer manager: a person who through the day switches hats between strategist, coordinator and supervisor. An entire hierarchy collapsed into one person, with a price of cognitive load, loss of meaning and damage to the sense of contribution. Two tools: Reflection Spaces, such as team meetings without screens, and reconnecting to the vision of impact, so that pride shifts from creating the output to designing the system.<\/p>\n<p>And AI is not replacing employees. It is forcing organizations to speed up. On the way to change you must preserve the sense of value and belonging of those who remain, because groups do not move fast on shaky ground: full transparency about reality, legitimacy for uncertainty, and shared managerial vulnerability. Vulnerability meaning putting complexities, doubts and mistakes on the table, not crying or excessive emotional exposure.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The data.<\/strong> According to Challenger, Gray &amp; Christmas, in 2024 a record 2,221 CEOs in the US announced departures, the highest since the figure began to be tracked in 2002. I see this as a turning point in the role: leadership is no longer measured only by knowledge, but by the ability to hold chaos and lead through it. A Harvard Business Review article I wrote about recommends developing three things: being a learner, meaning asking the right questions and building a culture of constant learning; investing in people in advance and building trust that holds in hard moments; and keeping proportion, knowing when to wait, when to act and when to double down.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A8%D7%91-%D7%A9%D7%9B%D7%91%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D-activity-7484842743417188352-kCEq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vertical Multi-Layer Managers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_ai-301125-activity-7400786044754948096-NVN0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AI Isn&#8217;t Replacing Employees, It&#8217;s Forcing Organizations to Move Faster<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_2004-ceo-leaving-activity-7345322753668833281-rSlb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why 2,000 CEOs Left in 2024<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"entrepreneurship\">Entrepreneurship: pivot, MVP and a support system<\/h2>\n<p>Two young founders I coach concluded that their demo does not work and they need to change direction. Their courage surprised me. After hours, budgets and emotional resources, it is much easier to convince ourselves the problem is external. A pivot is not failure. It is progress based on real learning from the market.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The MVP starts from the problem and not from the product: who the customer is, what their biggest pain is, and why what exists today is not enough.<\/li>\n<li>The MVP tests the underlying assumptions, not the product: is the problem really painful, and will they be willing to pay for the solution.<\/li>\n<li>The minimal solution does not have to work. A landing page that measures interest or a manual prototype can be enough.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And even someone working alone needs a support system. It took me time to understand this as a solopreneur. Not to ease loneliness, but so that someone will challenge my decisions. The cobbler\u2019s children go barefoot, since this is exactly the service I give CEOs. Even Steve Jobs took walks with Bill Campbell.<\/p>\n<div class=\"rfkg-more\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-more-label\">To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%AA%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9F-mvp-activity-7307279604271013888-9HE8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Courage to Pivot<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_solopreneur-acuaclacyadcadgacpaclacyadcacpact-activity-7196743772074864640-LBFW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Even a Solopreneur Needs a Support System<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/ronenfrieman_%D7%91%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%97-hamster-wheel-%D7%94%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%92%D7%9C-%D7%A9%D7%94%D7%90%D7%95%D7%92%D7%A8-activity-7201099908353789952-lndZ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Getting Off the Hamster Wheel<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"framework\">How this connects to the Identity-Aligned Leadership Cycle<\/h2>\n<p>In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/framework\/\">Identity-Aligned Leadership Cycle<\/a> I work with, this stage rests mainly on the alignment step: connecting clarity to organizational realities and needs. As you rise in rank, the challenge is to connect who you are with what the organization, the leadership and the market need.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What is strategic thinking, and how do you develop it?<\/h3>\n<p>Strategic thinking is the ability to look at reality through a systemic, forward-looking perspective, identify patterns and trends and make decisions based on them. It is a learned skill. The first step: think at least one range above your role, in space and in time, and ask how what you do affects others and the organization\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n<h3>How do you present a topic to a CEO in a short time?<\/h3>\n<p>Answer in advance the three questions they ask themselves: why should this matter to me, why now, and why you. Build a short, focused message in the structure of What, So What, Now What.<\/p>\n<h3>What do you do with a toxic manager?<\/h3>\n<p>First check your own part in the relationship. Then identify their patterns and prepare responses in advance, with the aim to influence and not to win. If it is gaslighting, set clear boundaries, and if that does not work, turn to HR or to the manager\u2019s manager.<\/p>\n<h3>How does AI change the manager\u2019s role?<\/h3>\n<p>It compresses management layers, so one person functions as strategist, coordinator and supervisor of a fleet of agents. The price is cognitive load and loss of meaning. So the manager needs to build reflection spaces, reconnect themselves and the team to the vision of impact, and keep a sense of value and belonging during the change.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"sources\">Sources for the data<\/h2>\n<p class=\"rfkg-note\">The tools and cases on this page are based on my LinkedIn posts, linked throughout the text. These are the sources for the data:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rfkg-sources\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.challengergray.com\/blog\/new-records-set-ceo-exits-surge-post-election-in-december-2024-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Challenger, Gray &amp; Christmas. New Records Set: CEO Exits Surge Post-Election in December 2024<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<nav class=\"rfkg-next\" aria-label=\"Continue the journey\">\n<p class=\"rfkg-next-title\">CONTINUE THE JOURNEY<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/managing-teams\/\"><span>Previous stage<\/span>Managing Teams<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/#stage-5\"><span>Knowledge Center<\/span>All the insights in this stage<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/schedule-a-call\/\"><span>Intro call<\/span>Want to think together about your strategic challenge? You can schedule an intro call.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; background_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_background_color=&#8221;#F1EFDB&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:70;padding_bottom:70&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:50;padding_bottom:50&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-author&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p class=\"rfkg-author-label\">ABOUT THE AUTHOR<\/p>\n<p class=\"rfkg-author-name\">Ronen Frieman<\/p>\n<p>ICF-certified executive coach and leadership and executive-team strategist, graduate of the Adler Institute. M.B.A. in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship &amp; High-Tech) and B.A. in Management (Marketing &amp; HR) from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. More than 15 years of management experience in the tech sector.<\/p>\n<p class=\"rfkg-author-links\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/about\/\">More about me<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ronenfrieman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; background_color=&#8221;primary&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:70;padding_bottom:70&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:50;padding_bottom:50&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rf-guide-cta&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div style=\"max-width:820px;margin:0 auto;text-align:left;direction:ltr;\">\n<p style=\"color:#F1EFDB;font-size:28px;font-weight:700;line-height:1.3;margin:0 0 16px;\">Do your leadership team\u2019s decisions stay in the slide deck instead of reaching the field?<\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#F1EFDB;font-size:18px;line-height:1.7;margin:0 0 22px;\">In the <a style=\"color:#C1D9CB;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/align\/\">ALIGN<\/a> and <a style=\"color:#C1D9CB;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/lead\/\">LEAD<\/a> pathways we translate strategy and values from wall statements into coordinated daily behavior \u2013 through strategy labs (offsites), Pre-mortem workshops that expose risks before launches, a forum for unit managers at the interface, and a senior forum using the \u201cExperience, Not Advice\u201d protocol.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#F1EFDB;font-size:18px;line-height:1.9;margin:0;\"><a style=\"color:#C1D9CB;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/schedule-a-call\/\">Schedule an intro call and check fit for your organization \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; background_color=&#8221;primary&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:215;padding_bottom:90&#8243; md_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:185;padding_bottom:80&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:155;padding_bottom:60&#8243;][vc_column][tm_heading tag=&#8221;h6&#8243; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; font_weight=&#8221;700&#8243; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;secondary_color&#8221; font_size=&#8221;lg:16&#8243; letter_spacing=&#8221;2px&#8221; line_height=&#8221;1.2&#8243; text=&#8221;Knowledge Center for Managers \u00b7 Stage 05 of 05&#8243; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;18px&#8221;][tm_heading tag=&#8221;h1&#8243; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; font_weight=&#8221;700&#8243; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; font_size=&#8221;sm:32;md:44;lg:54&#8243; line_height=&#8221;1.15&#8243; max_width=&#8221;900px&#8221; text=&#8221;Strategic Thinking for Managers: Managing Up, Stakeholders and AI&#8221; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;][tm_heading tag=&#8221;div&#8221; custom_google_font=&#8221;&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Heebo%3A300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; align=&#8221;left&#8221; text_color=&#8221;custom_color&#8221; custom_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; font_size=&#8221;sm:18;lg:20&#8243; line_height=&#8221;32px&#8221; max_width=&#8221;760px&#8221; text=&#8221;As you rise in rank, the work moves from the team to the system around it: your manager, senior leadership, other departments, the market and AI. In this guide I gathered what I\u2019ve learned about managing up, communicating with senior leaders, organizational politics, strategic thinking and entrepreneurship.&#8221; typed_list=&#8221;%5B%7B%7D%5D&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;26px&#8221;][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-byline&#8221;] By Ronen Frieman, leadership and executive-team strategist and ICF-certified executive coach \u00b7 Updated September 2026 \u00b7 Back to the Knowledge Center [\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html el_class=&#8221;rfkg-cssbox&#8221;]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[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; lg_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:80;padding_bottom:90&#8243; sm_spacing=&#8221;padding_top:50;padding_bottom:60&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;rfkg-article&#8221;] IN SHORT This stage deals with the system beyond the team: organizational navigation and politics, the stakeholder map, strategic thinking, market trends and AI, entrepreneurship and business ownership. Strategic thinking is not an innate trait. It is the ability to look at reality through a systemic, forward-looking perspective, identify patterns and trends, and make decisions based on them. The simple rule: think at least one range above your role. IN THIS GUIDE Strategic thinking: one range up Entering a senior role: mapping before action Managing up: even with a difficult manager How to communicate with senior managers Organizational politics and the stakeholder map AI and the vertical multi-layer manager Entrepreneurship: pivot, MVP and a support system How this connects to the Identity-Aligned Leadership Cycle Frequently asked questions Strategic thinking: one range up Strategic thinking is a skill you can learn. A table by Chris Williams helps make sense of it. It crosses two axes: spatial range, from the individual through the team, the division and the company to the world outside the company, and time range, from now through weeks and months to decades. On the table you can place an employee, a team lead, a C-level executive and a CEO. Most people think within their own range. To advance, you need to lift your head and think at least one range above: how what I do affects others and advances the organization\u2019s goals. When this becomes a habit, visibility in the organization improves. Not because you made noise, but because your impact is clear to those around you. Strategic thinking closed a series I wrote about advancing in an organization. Three more things that help you advance: Take on management tasks before the promotion. The work does not speak for itself. Managers have to believe you will also succeed at the tasks of the next role. Start with an open conversation with your manager about wanting to try. Then identify which important tasks are left aside because the manager cannot get to them. That is where the opportunity lies. Communicate your successes, in your own way. Promotion decisions are usually made two or three levels above you, by people who do not know your contribution in detail. Keep a living successes document, update in real time and not at the end of the year, and use a fixed format for the 1:1: what was completed, challenges for next week including proposed solutions, and a plan with priorities. Think in terms of skills, not experience. Ask yourself: in which situations do I act well even when there is no clear answer, which tasks am I trusted to close all the way, and what is the last thing I learned without anyone asking. And don\u2019t wait for the organization to train you. We moved from a world where whoever holds the knowledge and the answers is appointed to manage, to a world where the manager is the one who knows how to ask the right questions. Volunteer for the next complex project. Such projects let you learn by doing, and come with access to other managers and forgiveness for mistakes. To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts: Strategic Thinking, One Range Up Management Tasks Worth Taking On Before the Promotion How to Communicate Your Successes From Work Experience to Thinking in Terms of Skills Don&#8217;t Wait for the Organization to Train You Entering a senior role: mapping before action When entering a new management role, almost everyone has advice, and usually it is not relevant: be assertive, don\u2019t share emotions, always know all the answers. That same week three completely different coachees conveyed the same difficulty to me. The common denominator: none of them stopped at the entrance to the role to map the role and the organization and build a work plan on that basis. What is the gap between expectation and reality? What do the employees and managers say? In which areas do I know I struggle? Which three big tasks will I choose for the coming quarter, and approve with management? The real challenge arrives in the second management role. A director or someone more senior leads dozens or hundreds of people and is squeezed from every direction: expected to think at the macro level and to master the details, almost without support. Most companies invest in training first-time managers, and very little in senior managers, who advanced to get there on the run. To go deeper, in my LinkedIn posts: Mapping Before You Step Into a New Role The Real Challenge Arrives in Your Second Management Role Managing up: even with a difficult manager No relationship in an organization is more critical than the one between an employee and their manager. There are red flags worth knowing: a manager who is focused on himself and decides on personal considerations, a manager who does not support you and keeps you from resources, micromanagement, and an inability to listen or accept feedback. But it takes two to tango. You may be the employee who is hard to trust, which is why your manager is controlling. Check yourself: do you go behind your manager\u2019s back? Compete with them instead of collaborating? A manager I coach [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":6757,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6762","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Strategic Thinking for Managers: Managing Up | Ronen Frieman<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Managing up, communicating with senior leaders, organizational politics, strategic thinking, AI and entrepreneurship, by executive coach Ronen Frieman.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ronenfrieman.com\/en\/knowledge-center\/strategic-thinking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" 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