Designing a Strategy - how should I view the world?

One of the most challenging aspects of setting a strategy at any level (whether the product level, BU, or company) is cultivating a rich, well-articulated view of the "world" -- from the super macro (what I call the astronaut view of earth) all the way down to the super micro (aka, the ground-level view).

I'm afraid that often times this development of a "point of view" (POV)--a crucial first step in the design of any strategy-- is ignored. Often instead one's "point of view" remains an unexpressed, implicit, almost pre-conscious construct which can influence "the plan" whether the individual is aware of it or not.

However, even more frequently the case, the individual never formulates a POV. Instead, he or she develops a "strategy" that is simply a composite of projects & tactics which in totality are expected to meet or exceed the financial growth targets established by senior management.