Robert , Your points are important and very relevant as the pace of change continues to accelerate and has made both strategic planning and strategic thinking much more dynamic. Procuring information that is both relevant and reliable is important and the "intuition" you refer to is also important. I believe that it is increasingly important to step back from day to day activities on a frequent basis to assess strategically where the organization is going and where energies are being focused. We are seeing transformative change in higher education and taking time to step back and assess how our thinking in relation to education models has to change to adapt and succeed in this rapidly changing environment I believe is imperative. As Abraham Lincoln said "as a leader no decision I make is wholly good or wholly bad." Our jobs as leaders is to make the best possible decision based upon all the information available to us. As you mentioned there are times where there is not a clear answer and we cannot be paralyzed in making a decision. The strategic thinking process just helps us make the most informed decision possible. Dr. Blake Faulkner