As the work environments grow more complex there is more required of a leader. In times of crisis a true leader must be able to resolve conflicts and maintain organizational growth. Leadership is not about just being in a position of authority, it is the ability to understand your employees and customers as well as understanding the market that the organization is in. As a leader I must be able to make tough decisions and always encourage employees to better themselves. On top of keeping a cool head while discovering the best methods to communicate, align common goals and learn from past errors. This article covers several great skills that leaders should learn and use in order to be considered a strategic leader.
I chose the Strategic Leadership: The Essential Skills article by Paul Schoemaker, Steve Krupp and Samantha
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These authors are all experts in the fields of decision strategies, executive and leadership development. To me, it seems that the purpose the authors are describing are the six factors that play a role in strategic leadership. The first skill is anticipating potential threats or opportunities. Knowing what changes are happening in the market is key. For example, if a wooden toy maker declines to intertwine electronics into his toys he has failed to anticipate the change in the market and will most likely see a dramatic decline in business. The second skill discussed is challenging personal, professional and external assumptions. The old adage of think outside the box comes to mind, “Only after careful reflection and examination of a problem through many lenses do they take decisive action” (Schoemaker, Krupp, Howland. 2013). The third skill is the ability to interpret, not just interpreting what is being said but also what is happening. Noticing what is happening within and around the workplace can provide opportunities for profit growth as well as different
Jay, J. (2012). Strategic Leadership Review, Volume 2, Issue 1. In Scholasticahq. Retrieved Janurary 26, 2013, from https://scholasticahq.com/supporting_files/397/attachment_versions/394.
It states that as the job process change a team must be able to change strategy, actions and goals in accordance with it. It is necessary to be able to transcend from one stage to another in other to achieve the groups aim and objectives. (Ancona & Bresman, 2007) p119. These capabilities are central to leadership in the sense that its involves sense making, relating ,visioning and inventing. The sense making entails having knowledge of which the team and members operate. The relating aspect explains developing key relations within the organization and outside the organization. The visioning explains envisioning new ideas and finding creative ways of achieving it. The inventing explains the developing and generating ways to achieve the
Powell, C. L., & Koltz, T. (2012). It worked for me: In life and leadership. New York: Harper.
Pierce, Jon L. and John W. Newstrom (2011) 6th edition. Leaders and the Leadership Process.
Moreover the leaders think about the changing industry environment, and try to analyze, understand and predict how their competitors will likely to behave in the industry with every change. The organization leaders look at how the organization can successfully innovate, and shape their strategies and their business to compete and succeed in the market. The vision can be tested by appropriate market research, on their side and the market side also, to find the risk possibilities, and the best way to reduce it or avoid it. Therefore, leadership demand a hard work, like planning step ahead, problem solving, and not being satisfied with what is in the table, and how things are, but to try to improve for the best.
First when a leader focuses on the strengths of the employees the odds of the employee being engaged will increase dramatically. This compares to chapter one of our text book in that it says an effective leader is one who helps group members attain productivity. The second key is that the most effective leaders surround themselves with the right people and maximize their team. The book suggest when leaders try to be good at everything they will not be great at anything. Although it is often preached to be well-rounded this results in mediocrity. So instead trying to be good at everything, find and know your strengths and hone those skills to be a more effective leader. The authors say there are four domains of leadership with thirty-four themes that break-down under the domains and these explain the actual strengths of the leader. The domains are executing, influencing, relationship building and strategic thinking. In our text book all but influencing are listed as one of the ten roles of leadership. ...
know that it’s safe to fail. Another discipline of strategic leadership is to provide another route to
Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge is an organizational management book written by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus for those who aim to become better leaders. The authors emphasize that having executive positions or being a manager does not automatically make one a leader. A leader is one who inspires his staff, helps them find purpose in their work, and effectively implements their plans. They separate the book not quite into chapters on different topics, but rather by four strategies that they have determined are vital for any leader to take on. The strategies are effectively defined as attention through vision, meaning through communication, trust through positioning, and the deployment of self.
Leadership at times can be a complex topic to delve into and may appear to be a simple and graspable concept for a certain few. Leadership skills are not simply acquired through position, seniority, pay scale, or the amount of titles an individual holds but is a characteristic acquired or is an innate trait for the fortunate few who possess it. Leadership can be misconstrued with management; a manager “manages” the daily operations of a company’s work while a leader envisions, influences, and empowers the individuals around them.
Even in the face of uncertainty, strategic leaders must be ready to take decisive action. This does not, however, mean making impulsive, big, and
Many Scholars characterize the core qualities and skills necessary for an effective leader. Useem defines leadership as “Creating a vision and translating that vision into actions”. Historically, an effective leader was assumed to be exceptionally knowledgeable, authoritative, and dominate. Those leaders applied the command and control method to lead an organization. With the passage of time, this definition has been changed. The modern definition of an effective leader is honest, courageous, trustworthy, inspirational, and result-oriented. Today’s leaders create shared values and vision, and empower others to achieve their targets.
Self-learning is also valuable, especially reading. All strategic Leaders are voracious readers and they read outside their normal area. of expertise, again, to expand their perspective and increase their conceptual ability to be able to communicate. In fact, many of them are experts in a number of areas. unrelated fields of the.
Leaders will no matter what have an influence on our world. They have missions, dreams and ambition, and with these things they are bound to go far. For leaders, what makes these dreams come true is having strong qualities such as leadership practices, values and strengths. If developed and learned how to use correctly, these are what take leaders to the next level and accomplish great things. In the following paper I will talk about leadership in our ever-changing world, explore my leadership practices, values and strengths as well as elaborate on the goals I have made to challenge myself as a leader.
Leadership skills: Is capable of thinking strategically. Can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately. Puts the team before the individual’s welfare. Coaches and develops employees. Is confident with his/her decision making and vision. Leads by
One key skill a leader should have is to be able to plan. Sun Tzu also mentions this in the first chapter of the book, The Art of War. In this chapter Sun Tzu essentially talks about planning and strategy. In one quote he says “According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one’s plans”. In business terms we can sum this quote up in SWOT analysis. A leader should be able to analyze its organizations strengths,