

S5E15: And then what? Thinking Strategy, with Baroness Ashton of Upholland
20 snips Apr 29, 2025
Baroness Catherine Ashton, the former EU lead for foreign and security strategy, shares her insights from navigating complex global issues. She discusses the importance of collaborative strategy-making and the role of personal and organizational values in leadership. Ashton reflects on the challenges Europe faces today, including the impacts of Brexit and security dynamics. She emphasizes the necessity of asking, 'And then what?' to adapt effectively in an ever-changing landscape, encouraging strategic thinkers to balance vision with realism.
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Strategy Requires Vision and Realism
- Strategy means raising your head to see the horizon and addressing multiple issues as a whole.
- It's about blending vision, idealism, and realism to create achievable ambition.
Value-Driven Decision Making
- Know the values and ideals that influence your decisions, not just the outcomes.
- Values drive how you address problems and shape effective leadership.
Core Values Guide Strategy
- Knowing your ‘red lines’ helps prevent drifting from core values under pressure.
- Organizational values guide strategy by defining what the group stands for and aspires to achieve.