Strategic Leadership Style
What traits make some leaders strategists while others who talk of strategy fall short of the mark? I've wondered about this ever since I read Mike Robert's book The Strategist CEO about 20 years ago. I got to thinking about this more seriously while I was writing my book on competitive strategy, Attacking The Crown Jewels. While it did not fit in the book, I do think I have an answer.
There are many traits that are common to effective leaders and models that can be used to understand various leadership styles. Two traits stand out as predictors of strategic leadership: vision and planning.
Vision is about creating an inspiring sense of purpose. Visionary leaders answer the "why" question clearly and simply. They articulate a long-term, overarching goal and stick to it. Those low in this trait answer the "why" question in various ways that net down to this: "we do it to survive."
Planning is about proactively answering the "what, who, when, where and how" questions. Planning leaders spell out a clear roadmap of how to move forward over the next few years. Those low in this trait are reactive and take a tactical approach. They wait to see what happens before committing the troops to a course of action and repeat this again and again.
A leader who is high in vision and planning is a strategic leader. This leader inspires the organization with a worthy goal and shows them how they collectively are going to advance towards it.
A leader high in vision but low in planning is a mystic. This leader can inspire followers with a worthy goal, but cannot reveal how to get there. The path is defined by following the leader, who is making it up as they go along.
A leader high in planning but low in vision is a missionary. They lay out a clear roadmap that the organization can follow but do not inspire passion except in those who love to follow a roadmap regardless of the destination.
A leader low in vision and planning is a caretaker. They deal tactically with each issue as it unfolds with no sense of purpose other than to keep going, wandering aimlessly where momentum takes them.
Copyright © 2007 Philip Bookman
Technorati: Business Strategy, Strategic Planning
There are many traits that are common to effective leaders and models that can be used to understand various leadership styles. Two traits stand out as predictors of strategic leadership: vision and planning.
Vision is about creating an inspiring sense of purpose. Visionary leaders answer the "why" question clearly and simply. They articulate a long-term, overarching goal and stick to it. Those low in this trait answer the "why" question in various ways that net down to this: "we do it to survive."
Planning is about proactively answering the "what, who, when, where and how" questions. Planning leaders spell out a clear roadmap of how to move forward over the next few years. Those low in this trait are reactive and take a tactical approach. They wait to see what happens before committing the troops to a course of action and repeat this again and again.
A leader who is high in vision and planning is a strategic leader. This leader inspires the organization with a worthy goal and shows them how they collectively are going to advance towards it.
A leader high in vision but low in planning is a mystic. This leader can inspire followers with a worthy goal, but cannot reveal how to get there. The path is defined by following the leader, who is making it up as they go along.
A leader high in planning but low in vision is a missionary. They lay out a clear roadmap that the organization can follow but do not inspire passion except in those who love to follow a roadmap regardless of the destination.
A leader low in vision and planning is a caretaker. They deal tactically with each issue as it unfolds with no sense of purpose other than to keep going, wandering aimlessly where momentum takes them.
Copyright © 2007 Philip Bookman
Technorati: Business Strategy, Strategic Planning
Labels: Business Strategy, Strategic Planning
posted by Phil Bookman at 10:02 AM
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