Table Of ContentStrategic Thinking and Writing E Corporate Communication Collection
THE BUSINESS D
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EXPERT PRESS Michael Edmondson O Debbie D. DuFrene, Editor
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DIGITAL LIBRARIES D
S
“In an era when more time is spent on constant tweeting than on critical O
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EBOOKS FOR thinking, Michael Edmondson provides an important reminder that the
BUSINESS STUDENTS path to success won’t be found by staying glued to a device. Strategic
Strategic
Curriculum-oriented, born- Thinking and Writing is a guide for effectively using the one key element
digital books for advanced needed to gain the upper hand in any challenging situation: your own
business students, written
thought process.”—Ronald Panarotti, Rider University
by academic thought Thinking and
leaders who translate real- “Dr. Edmondson’s Strategic Thinking and Writing is a fascinating piece
world business experience of literature that will help you remain focused, motivated, and engaged
into course readings and in the art of critical thinking. This book captures real life success stories Writing
reference materials for and provides magnifi cent exercises, each designed to help people improve
students expecting to tackle
their strategic thinking and writing skills. This book has encouraged
management and leadership
me to open up my mind, increase my self-awareness, and continuously
challenges during their
strive for clear and effi cient thinking.”—Martha Redondo, Princeton
professional careers.
Theological Seminary
POLICIES BUILT S
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BY LIBRARIANS In today’s hyper-connected, dynamic, and ever-changing global R
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• Unlimited simultaneous marketplace, storytelling is the new strategic imperative for orga- T
E
usage nizations and individuals that want to achieve and sustain growth. G
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• Unrestricted downloading As technology has democratized the power to share stories with C
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and printing the world, succeeding in today’s age of collaborative commerce H
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• Perpetual access for a N
demands that leaders on all levels develop and enhance the busi-
K
one-time fee ness competency of storytelling built on strategic thinking and IN
• No platform or G
maintenance fees writing in order to drive customer engagement, enhance business A
performance, and remain relevant. N
• Free MARC records D
• No license to execute W
Michael Edmondson is dean of Professional Education and Life-
R
The Digital Libraries are a long Learning at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, New IT
I
comprehensive, cost-eff ective Jersey. He is the author of Success: Theory and Practice (Business N
G
way to deliver practical
Experts Press, 2016), Major in Happiness: Debunking the College Major Michael Edmondson
treatments of important
Fallacies (Business Experts Press, 2015), and Marketing Your Value: 9
business issues to every
Steps to Navigate Your Career (Business Experts Press, 2015). He has
student and faculty member.
over 25 years of experience in both the nonprofi t and for-profi t
sectors. He has a PhD in history from Temple University, an MA in
history from Villanova University, and a BA in history from Cabrini
For further information, a University.
free trial, or to order, contact:
[email protected]
Corporate Communication Collection
www.businessexpertpress.com/librarians
Debbie D. DuFrene, Editor
Strategic Thinking
and Writing
Strategic Thinking
and Writing
Michael Edmondson, PhD
Strategic Thinking and Writing
Copyright © Business Expert Press, LLC, 2019.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—
electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for
brief quotations, not to exceed 250 words, without the prior permission
of the publisher.
First published in 2019 by
Business Expert Press, LLC
222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017
www.businessexpertpress.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-94944-341-7 (paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-1-94944-342-4 (e-book)
Business Expert Press Corporate Communication Collection
Collection ISSN: 2156-8162 (print)
Collection ISSN: 2156-8170 (electronic)
Cover and interior design by S4Carlisle Publishing Services Private Ltd.,
Chennai, India
First edition: 2019
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America.
Dedication
To Jolyon P. Girard, James Hedtke, and Lowell Gustafson
Other Books by Michael Edmondson
Success: Theory and Practice
Major in Happiness: Debunking the College Major Fallacies
Marketing Your Value: 9 Steps to Navigate Your Career
Advance Quotes
for Strategic Thinking
and Writing
“Strategic Thinking and Writing is a must read for students and business
professionals looking to enhance their strategic thinking and writing skills.
Throughout the book, Dr. Edmondson provides readers the opportunity
to perform thinking exercises and self-awareness checks which I found to
be that are extremely helpful. Dr. Edmondson reminds us that writing
is a process that we need to respect in order to produce a high-quality
product.”
Monique Oudijk, Bayada Home Health Care
“Thinking and writing well is one of the single most important traits
you can have in the business world. Knowing how to think and write
well helps you to perform and convey great ideas in your workplace.
Dr. Edmondson’s Strategic Thinking and Writing will help you capture
your ideas and showcase them to your professional audience. Displaying
great ideas with skill gives you power that is well deserved, and this book
will help you achieve that easily.”
Katie Calabrese, National Association for Community College
Entrepreneurship
“In an era when more time is spent on constant tweeting than on critical
thinking, Michael Edmondson provides an important reminder that the path
to success won’t be found by staying glued to a device. Strategic Thinking and
Writing is a guide for effectively using the one key element needed to gain
the upper hand in any challenging situation: your own thought process.”
Ronald Panarotti, Rider University
Dr. Edmondson’s Strategic Thinking and Writing is a fascinating piece of
literature that will help you remain focused, motivated, and engaged in
the art of critical thinking. This book captures real life success stories
and provides magnificent exercises, each designed to help people improve
their strategic thinking and writing skills. This book has encouraged me
to open up my mind, increase my self-awareness, and continuously strive
for clear and efficient thinking.
Martha Redondo, Princeton Theological Seminary
Abstract
In today’s hyperconnected, dynamic, and ever-changing global market-
place, storytelling is the new strategic imperative for organizations that
want to achieve and sustain growth. The power of narrative, however, is
built upon the foundation of strategic thinking and writing. As technol-
ogy has democratized the power to share stories with the world, succeed-
ing in today’s age of collaborative commerce demands that leaders on all
levels develop and enhance the business competency of storytelling built
on strategic thinking and writing in order to drive customer engagement,
enhance business performance, and remain relevant. Perhaps nowhere is
the evidence of storytelling more prevalent than Amazon. In his 2018
annual letter, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos repeated his rule that
PowerPoint is banned in executive meetings. Bezos replaced PowerPoint
slides with a six-page narrative that executives prepare. The start of each
meeting involves attendees reading the six-page narrative for 30 minutes
followed by a discussion. Writing the six-page memo requires research,
time, and multiple revisions. The six-page memo also requires one to
think and write strategically. That’s where this publication can help.
Part one consists of three chapters that focus on examining the various
definitions associated with thinking and the process of strategic thinking.
Part two shifts the attention toward strategic writing and provides the
reader with a step-by-step guide on how to create a clear, concise, and
compelling six-page memo.
Keywords
business; communication; corporate communication; leadership; man-
agement; professional development; strategic thinking; strategy; writing
