Episode 5: Strategy, Creativity, and Seeing the Bigger Picture

There are seasons where strategy feels like the last thing you have the energy for.When you are navigating transition, uncertainty, or disorientation, it can feel like everything becomes tactical. What is right in front of you demands attention. Decisions feel heavy. Long-term thinking can feel indulgent or even unrealistic.And yet, this past year reminded me that strategy does not disappear in disorienting seasons. It simply changes form.In Episode 5 of Learning Leadership In Practice, I reflect on how my understanding of strategy evolved in 2025. Less as a rigid plan that gets you from point A to point B, and more as a framework that shapes how you think, how you relate to time and energy, and how you stay open to possibility.A pivotal influence in this episode is the book Range by David Epstein. For the first time, I felt free to name something I had long experienced. That being a generalist in a specialized world is not a liability. It can be a strength.This episode explores what it looks like to trust a non-linear path, to stop apologizing for a resume that does not fit a single mold, and to see strategy as connection rather than control. I reflect on how partnerships, curiosity, and a learning mindset can create momentum even when clarity feels delayed.If you have ever looked at your path and wondered if it makes sense, or felt boxed in by expectations of specialization, my hope is that this conversation gives you permission to zoom out. To see the bigger picture. And to trust that the framework you are building will carry you forward, even when the next step is not fully clear.As always, thank you for learning alongside me.Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Learning Leadership, In Practice on Apple Podcasts.Thanks for listening to Learning Leadership, In Practice! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit davidreyes.substack.com