How to Think Like an Executive (Even If You’re Not One)

When clients ask me what separates the people who advance from the ones who plateau, I often answer with one word: perspective. The professionals who rise tend to look beyond their immediate responsibilities and start thinking in terms of the whole business. They ask different questions. They measure different outcomes. And they position their work in alignment with broader strategic goals—even if no one explicitly asked them to.

Thinking like an executive isn’t about playing office politics or chasing promotions. It’s about developing a new way of seeing: across silos, through systems, and into the future. That kind of thinking doesn’t require a specific role or title. It requires intentionality, curiosity, and a shift in mental altitude.

Start With Curiosity, Not Control

Executives don’t always know more—they just ask better questions. If you’re serious about building strategic thinking, begin with curiosity. Ask why your department does things the way it does. Ask how your work affects other teams, customers, or costs. Ask what would happen if a process were removed or redesigned. Executives constantly scan for friction, inefficiency, and opportunity. You can, too.

I once coached a mid-level manager who transformed her standing in the company simply by becoming more curious about the business model. She started attending investor calls. She read quarterly reports. She began connecting the dots between decisions and outcomes, and people noticed. More importantly, her insights got sharper with time and practice.