Rich Horwath – Strategic Thinking Pioneer & Bestselling Author
Rich Horwath is the founder and CEO of the Strategic Thinking Institute, a think-tank dedicated to helping leaders and executive teams “think, plan, and act strategically.” With experience as a former Chief Strategy Officer and strategy professor, he brings a unique blend of real-world expertise and academic rigor to his work. Rich is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of eight books, including Strategic: The Skill to Set Direction, Create Advantage, and Achieve Executive Excellence, and Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy. He has been described by Chief Executive Magazine as “the world’s foremost expert on strategic thinking” and has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, and the Harvard Business Review.
Rich’s passion for strategy began over 25 years ago when a manager asked, “How can I become more strategic?” That moment inspired him to build a framework that guides leaders from tactical firefighting to proactive strategy-making. Since then, he has helped more than a quarter million leaders globally to sharpen their strategic mindset and capabilities
Signature Speech Topics
Be Strategic or Be Gone – A dynamic session that introduces the three core disciplines of strategic thinking: Acumen (insight), Allocation (prioritizing resources), and Action (focused execution).
Deep Dive: Becoming a Truly Strategic Leader – A practical, five-step method to translate abstract strategy into concrete, executable action plans, helping organizations avoid failure from poor planning.
Competing on Excellence – Explores how to consistently outperform competitors by embedding a mindset of “deviation from the norm” and sustained excellence.
Strategy Unplugged: From Zero to Strategy in 60 Minutes – A fast-paced session that demystifies strategy by clarifying common myths, defining key terms, and equipping audiences to begin strategic planning immediately.
Strategy for You: Applying Strategy to Your Life – Translates business strategy principles into personal growth tools, bridging the gap between professional success and personal fulfillment.
