Leadership Competency #1

Thinking in Essentials - 4/8

NOTE: This module draws from my earlier work under Black Market Leadership. The ideas here predate Chaos Studies in Leadership and form the foundation that made this work possible.

This video explains the critical difference between perceptual thinking and conceptual thinking, and why it matters for leadership. Perceptual thinking focuses on what is immediately visible—specific events, problems, and surface-level details. Conceptual thinking goes deeper by identifying the common denominators behind those details—the underlying forces that explain why things are happening.

Using an Aristotle-inspired framework, the video shows that while animals are bound to perception, humans have the unique ability to think conceptually: to abstract patterns, reason over time, and plan beyond the present moment. Effective leaders use this ability to cut through noise, identify root causes, anticipate the future, and guide teams through uncertainty and the fog of war. Leadership advantage comes from seeing what others miss and acting on what truly matters, not just what is immediately in front of them.