December 09, 2025

Think Like a Strategic Leader: Critical Thinking & Decision-Making Skills for 2026 (Day 9 - The 12 Days of Leadership)

9 minutes

Day 9 of The 12 Days of Leadership

Think Like a Strategic Leader: Critical Thinking & Decision-Making Skills for 2026

Are you ready to move from doing the work to leading the work? In today’s episode of the 12 Days of Leadership, we’re diving into one of the most important — and most requested — leadership skills: strategic thinking.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in task mode, overwhelmed by constant decision-making, or unsure how to elevate your mindset as a new or aspiring leader, this episode is for you. We're breaking down the core habits, mindsets, and frameworks that help high-performance managers, clinical leaders, and directors think more strategically in complex, fast-paced environments.

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:

✨ How to shift from reactive to proactive leadership

✨ Critical thinking strategies to improve decision-making

✨ The difference between operational thinking vs. strategic thinking

✨ How to build your “elevated view” as a leader

✨ Kayla’s Director-Era story on stepping out of the weeds

✨ A simple framework to evaluate priorities, choose the right projects, and stay focused

✨ How strategic leaders create clarity, calm, and momentum for themselves and their teams

Whether you're a new manager, a seasoned healthcare professional, or a leader preparing for your next role, these skills will help you increase your influence, improve outcomes, and operate at a higher level.

This is your invitation to step confidently into your next leadership chapter — one rooted in clarity, vision, and intention.

🔑 Keywords: strategic thinking for leaders, how to think like a leader, leadership mindset shift, critical thinking at work, decision-making skills for managers, strategic leadership healthcare, leadership growth, becoming a strategic leader, proactive leadership skills, how to stop being reactive at work

PLUS — if you’re ready to build systems, habits, and routines that support your strategic leadership, enrollment for The Organized Leader Sprint is opening soon! Stay tuned for details.

✨Ready to build systems, habits, and routines that support your strategic leadership? Enrollment for The Organized Leader Sprint is open NOW through December 16th, 2025 — your step-by-step path to organization, clarity, and confident, proactive leadership in 2026.

✨ Join the Get Organized at Work Podcast Community for deeper conversations, leadership support, and daily inspiration during the 12 Days of Leadership. Linked here ➡️📱Join My Free Podcast Community for Professionals

NMDP Fundraiser:

Donate to my NMDP Fundraiser as I run the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in June 2026 during Grandma's Marathon Weekend: https://fundraise.nmdp.org/participants/Kayla-Fahey-Ahrndt

HOW TO SUPPORT KAYLA & GET ORGANIZED AT WORK PODCAST

📱Join My Free Podcast Community for Professionals (get 20% off Merch inside the community, plus that's where all my freebies live!)

Leave me a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Apple Podcasts Show Link

🛒Shop My Amazon Storefront

📒📘☕Grab Podcast Branded Merch: Check out our Get Organized at Work Podcast Shop

Donate to my NMDP Fundraiser as I run the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in June 2026 during Grandma's Marathon Weekend: https://fundraise.nmdp.org/participants/Kayla-Fahey-Ahrndt

RECENT EPISODES:

Family Command Center Upgrade: Amazon Echo Show + Google Calendar vs. Skylight (Set-Up, Tips, and Deals)

👻🎃10 Spooky Truths About Career Growth (That Might Haunt You if You Ignore Them) - Halloween Episode!

The Consistency Blueprint: Why Leader Standard Work Actually Works

Consistency Wins: Leadership Lessons from a Half Ironman

Burnout-Free This Fall: How to Stay Consistent Without Losing Balance with Automations, Templates, and Delegation

How to Build Consistent Work Rhythms That Survive Even Your Worst Day (🎉Merch is Here!)

The 80/20 of Work Systems: What Actually Matters Most

The Hidden Costs of Inconsistency at Work (& How Can I Show Up More Consistently at Work?)

Why You Don’t Need to Organize Your Email or Notes (and What to Do Instead)

7 Game-Changing Lessons I’ve Learned from Hosting the Get Organized at Work Podcast

What’s Stopping You? The Career You’d Choose If Fear Wasn’t a Factor - Reclaim Your Fulfillment at Work

Soft Life Systems: Organizing Your Work for a Less Hectic Life

Unplug to Recharge: Smart Summer Scheduling for Leaders

How to Ask For Help at Work WITHOUT Saying "I'm So Busy"

How to Get Promoted by Getting Organized: The Real Secrets They Don't Teach You

Karen Read’s Attorneys - What Leadership Skills Can We Learn from Them?

🏆20K Downloads! Consistency Wins: Why Rough Drafts are OK & Takeaways from the May Challenge

Reflect & Celebrate: How Small Check-Ins Keep You Consistent at Work (Week 4 – May Consistency Challenge)

Build Your Leadership Rhythm: 3 Daily Habits That Stick (Week 3 – May Consistency Challenge)

Celebrate the Small Wins: How 10 Minutes a Day Builds Real Progress (Week 2 – May Consistency Challenge)

Master Your Focus: The One-Thing Rule for Consistent Progress at Work (Week 1 - May Consistency Challenge)

How Your Why Fuels Consistency at Work (and in Leadership) - Sharing MY WHY with You

Stuck in the Procrastination Cycle? How to Beat it with Consistency over Perfection!

Get Organized at Work Blueprint Course is LIVE TODAY! 6 Major Career Lessons I've Learned

March Madness Hacks: 5-Min Tips to Boost Work Productivity (That You Might Not Have Thought Of!)

3 Signs You Need Better Organizational Systems at Work - Which One is Holding You Back?

Spring Forward - How to Get Organized at Work in 6 Simple Steps

How to Get Promoted at Work: Prove Your Value, Tips for Career Advancement

Efficiency Hacks - How to Be Your Own Project Manager with Asana, ChatGPT, and Bullet Journals

Feeling Stagnant in Your Career? Here’s How to Fall Back in Love with Your Work

Using My Amazon Productivity Planner: Key Takeaways for Better Time Management

How to Get Piles Off Your Desk: Organizing Your Paperwork & Digital Files

Thinking Bigger: How Leaders Can Drive Culture Change & Innovation

Why Your To-Do List is Failing You: Why Leader Standard Work is the Ultimate Solution for Getting Organized at Work

Build Your Personal Brand at Work: Tips for Standing Out and Thriving with 16Personalities

CONNECT WITH KAYLA:

📱Join My Free Podcast Community for Professionals

🗞Get My Newsletter

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylafaheyahrndt/

Follow the podcast on Instagram: Get Organized At Work Podcast (@getorganizedatwork) • Instagram photos and videos

RESOURCES:

📅Schedule a Organize My Work Consulting Call - Get Help Organizing Your Work

🆓Free Resource Library: https://www.kfaconsulting.org/freeresourcelibrary

🌐Website: https://www.Kfaconsulting.org

More about Kayla: --Kayla’s “Why” and Leadership Journey: https://www.Kfaconsulting.org/meetkayla

...more

View all episodes

By Kayla Fahey-Ahrndt | MPH, MLS (ASCP) SBB, Laboratory Manager, Healthcare Leader, Scientist

44 ratings