- Live Class
How to Think Strategically and Apply Business Acumen
Develop strategic thinking and business acumen to lead change, identify opportunities, and drive organizational success.
Offered at the following events: see registration for course dates
- 28—29 October 2026, Washington DC
- LevelAdvanced
- PDUs14
- Duration2-Day Training
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Overview
Research shows that the next generation of leaders must be able to think strategically, understand their specific business model, and drive change.
This training is for anyone who seeks to better understand competent strategic thinking and wants to better demonstrate that they understand the art of crafting good strategy and how it moves the needle in well-managed organizations. Because good strategy and competent strategic thinking are rare, those individuals who think and act differently are better able to recognize opportunity, show the value adds, and collaborate at higher levels. Past participants have found that that even a few behavioral changes have resulted in lasting career benefits.
The format stresses an interactive discussion of real-world examples and applications, including:
- The four pillars and the four X-factors of strategic thinking
- What good strategy is and is not (it's not goal setting and is seldom found in a strategic plan)
- How to interpret weak signals in the strategic environment of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity)
- How to identify and generate strategic insights
- How to map a business model and how individuals and departments (for example, project management offices, HR, IT) contribute to the value proposition
- Practical approaches to being more proactive
- Tips for being an extraordinary leader of strategic change and “moving the needle”
- The difference between strategic decisions and tactical decisions
- Three fundamental activities of strategic thinking: sensing, sense making, and programming. Personal leadership is a choice to step into the leadership zone
- Your personal development plan
Related Topics
- Business Skill Enhancement
- Decision Making Techniques
- Influencing
What You'll Learn
Upon completion of this training, learners will be able to:
- Describe how strategic thinking differs from operational thinking.
- Practice and improve the microskills of strategic thinking.
- Engage better with stakeholders to focus on essential resources and decisions that are critical to enterprise success.
Learn more about the expert instructor(s) for this training.
Training Schedule
Expand AllPDU Breakdown
Maintaining a certification? Earn professional development units (PDUs) toward renewal while building valuable skills in this live training course.
Total PDUs
Business Acumen
Ways of Working
Power Skills
Registration Rates
Don't miss out on special rates when you register before the early bird date. Also enjoy exclusive pricing as a PMI member!
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About the Instructor(s)
Greg Githens, PMP
Greg Githens’ mission is to upskill individuals to make positive impact by delivering useful ideas and new perspectives. His engaging enthusiastic style has earned him the reputation as one of PMI’s most popular speakers.
Greg is the author of How to Think Strategically: Sharpen Your Mind. Develop Your Competency. Contribute to Success. This highly rated book explains that strategic thinking is an individual competency composed of 20 microskills. Because strategic thinking is rare and valuable, those who demonstrate it have more value to their organizations and are more promotable.
Greg has been a featured speaker at PMI Global Summit, PMI chapters, and The Management Roundtable. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree from Miami University.
Kandis Porter, PMP
Kandis Porter is the founder and managing director of Effective Flow Connections (EFC), a management consulting company that helps transform organizations through project management, process improvement, change management.
Kandis has more than 20 years of experience managing people and large projects in both the government and private sectors. She has supported clients in various industries, to include the DoD, FAA, utilities, medical device, health care, non-profit, and learning & development. Kandis holds (MSPM) in Project Management from The George Washington University and (MBA) in human resources. In addition, she is a certified (PMP)® instructor, Prosci Change Manager, and Six Sigma Green Belt.
Before joining the consulting industry, Kandis proudly served in the United States Air Force and is passionate about giving back to veterans and their families. She is a former member of the Small Business Administration’s Advisory Committee on Veteran Business Affairs (ACVBA) and is on the board of directors for the Veterans Guest House in Reno, Nevada. Outside of work, she enjoys running, skiing, and spending time with her family.
