How to master strategic thinking and lead with impact

Kirstin Ferguson explains why strategic leadership demands mental agility – being flexible, curious, and honest about what you know (and what you don’t)

The world is changing fast. As technology evolves and our societies and economies adapt, what worked yesterday might not work today. What does this mean for leadership? Good leaders today stay open, listen, and learn. They adapt when things change. They don’t have all the answers, but they think clearly and help others feel steady, even in uncertain times. However, doing all the above requires skill.   

Do today’s leaders feel equipped to lead into the future? Many say they aren’t. According to a report by Harvey Nash, 52% of tech leaders report an AI skills gap, a significant increase from 20% in 2024, while a report by NTT DATA reveals that over 80% of executives acknowledge that leadership, governance, and workforce readiness are failing to keep pace with AI advancements. In addition, a survey conducted by Dataiku indicates that 74% of CEOs believe they could be out of a job in two years if they fail to deliver meaningful AI-driven gains, and 94% suspect employees are using generative AI tools without official guidance or approval.   

This highlights a pressing need for both current and aspiring leaders to adapt and equip themselves with the necessary skills and strategies to navigate the rapidly evolving technological landscape.   

Leadership beyond hierarchy

Recognising the accelerating pace of change as a key leadership challenge, UNSW’s Learn to Lead short course, delivered by UNSW Alumni Experience in partnership with AGSM @ UNSW Business School, equips leaders, industry professionals, and policymakers with essential skills, particularly in strategic thinking and leading with meaningful impact.  

According to Professor Nick Wales, Dean of Lifelong Learning at UNSW Sydney and academic lead for this year’s Learn to Lead, the course encourages leaders to stay flexible and ready to change when the old ways no longer work. The ability to think strategically and lead with authenticity and empathy, he says, has never been more essential, which is why UNSW has designed this course to help professionals navigate the demands of modern leadership.  

Learn more: Resilience in AI leadership: In conversation with Stela Solar

Kicking off this year’s Learn to Lead is a conversation between Prof. Wales and Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM, an acclaimed corporate leader, author, and keynote speaker. Recognised by Thinkers50 as one of the world’s most insightful management minds, Dr Ferguson understands how leaders can thrive in complex times.   

During their conversation, Dr Ferguson highlighted that leadership isn’t about your position in a hierarchy – it’s actually more about the impact and influence you have, which everyone possesses in some way. “Those kinds of views are long gone. A hundred years ago, we thought of leaders as the person who owned or ran the business or was the president. Now, we’re all leaders.  

“We lead in our families, in our communities... even if we don’t hold a formal leadership title on an org chart, I believe we all have personal leadership responsibilities and opportunities to be the best leaders we can be,” she said.

From military officer to corporate leader   

Dr Ferguson’s career exemplifies strategic thinking and adaptability. She began her professional journey at 17 when she joined the Australian Defence Force Academy and studied history at UNSW Canberra, where she later served in the Air Force. She then transitioned into law, earning a law degree and before becoming the CEO of an international consulting firm. She has served on numerous public and private company boards over a 15-year board career, including as Chair of the ABC, and along the way earned a PhD and published several books on leadership.   

Reflecting on her career, Dr Ferguson encouraged aspiring leaders to take opportunities as they come, emphasising flexibility, lifelong learning, and adaptive thinking. “I’m a good advertisement for the idea that you don’t have to have a linear career,” she said.   

Reflecting on her passion for leadership, Dr Ferguson said: “I’ve always been interested in that balance between what theory says and then how bloody difficult it is in real life, and bringing those two things together. I’m a real believer in data and research and understanding about where we can take leadership, but also thinking about leadership practically. How do we help leaders who are flat-out trying to just do their jobs? How do we help them become better leaders as well?”   

Learn more: Five important things evidence tells us about successful leadership

Leadership is often tested during crises, and Dr Ferguson's tenure as acting chair of the ABC in 2018 exemplified this. Stepping into the role during a particularly tumultuous time for the Australian broadcaster, Dr Ferguson said she faced several immediate challenges. “I don't think anyone knows how they'll lead through a crisis until they're actually in it, but I think I was able to draw on my Air Force experience at that time,” she said.   

“I also was able to sort of understand that you need to reduce the number of people who are giving you advice. You have no end of people in a crisis who want to come and tell you how things should be done. And you really need to be mindful of where you're getting that advice from and just break down every single burning bushfire into the one that's going to burn you in the next 10 minutes.   

“You know, there might be an enormous one over there on the hill, but it's not going to kill you in the next 10 minutes. There’s going to be something else – you have to deal with what's right in front of you. Really prioritising (to an extent I'd never experienced before) and having to even park things that you know are very important, but they're not the most important thing right now. And I think there are lessons in that for all of us.”

Blindspotting: ‘the art of seeing what others miss’   

How can leaders prepare for uncertainty, and what skills will help them face it with confidence? Dr Ferguson explained the concept of “blindspotting” as a potential solution. It’s the topic of her latest book – a leadership approach centred on recognising and addressing the unseen biases and assumptions that can sabotage effective decision-making.

She explained that the idea stemmed from a desire to find a practical verb that encapsulates identifying what we often overlook. “I wanted to find a verb for looking for things we cannot see,” she said. “That's the subtitle: how to see what others miss.”

According to Dr Ferguson, blindspotting involves embracing three key mindsets: honesty, curiosity, and flexibility. And it’s not enough to just have one or two, you need to use all three qualities for blindspotting to work. “The idea of blindspotting is being open to the flaws in our thinking,” she said. “Not thinking that we know everything, being curious to actually find the best outcome, the objective truth in any situation, and then being flexible about how we think about a solution and make a decision.”

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She also spoke about the importance of intellectual humility in leadership. “Being intellectually humble means we know we don't know everything. And the fact is, we know that, but it can be very hard as a leader to admit. And the people we lead have excellent bullshit meters. They know when we don't know, yet we still seem to persist in trying to find a way through a difficult situation we're unclear about… being able to say, 'Look, I don't know yet. I'm going to find out.”

Dr Ferguson also highlighted the significance of accepting imposter syndrome and separating ego from true knowledge. “Imposter syndrome – I have it, just like everyone else. Every single job I've ever accepted, every new board, every new challenge I’ve taken on, I have that immediate thought: ‘I don't know how to do this.’ Same idea: ‘I have no idea,’” she said.

“But, you know, I've got that confidence that I'm going to learn, I'm going to figure it out. I know that I can do it. And then we do – and we've got no reason to question it next time – but we do. We still question ourselves. So I think this idea is just being honest about our intellectual limits. It's also trying to separate your ego from what you know. If we’re someone wrapped up in our title at work, in being an expert, in never being able to be seen to question ourselves or others, then it's very hard to admit what you don't know – and that can become a real challenge.”

By adopting the practice of blindspotting, she said leaders can enhance their decision-making processes, foster stronger teams, and navigate complex environments with greater clarity and effectiveness.

To learn more and watch the full interview, register for the Learn to Lead program.