In a study of 250,000 executives, setting strategic direction emerged as the most important role of a leader. In another study with nearly a thousand executives, it was determined strategic leadership requires different skills and perspectives than operational leadership because it is:
• Broad in scope. The strategic leader sees the organizational parts as interdependent and interconnected. Actions and decisions in one part of the organization take into consideration their impact on other parts of the organization.
• Future focused. The strategic leader has long term vision with a far- reaching timetable.
• Change oriented. The strategic leader is flexible and adaptable to shifting organizational, cultural and societal patterns.
* A learning process. The strategic leader drives organizations to become continual learning engines In an ongoing discovery process involving both top-down and bottom-up elements — a collaborative team activity.
REFLECT:
Do you know a leader with these perspectives and skills?
Peter Senge proposed this approach in general – not limited to strategic planning. He suggested organizations have a learning disability. They don’t learn! And the act of learning from diverse stakeholders is a foundation for success. His perspectives are now shown in leadership textbooks and articles in graphs like this:
Depending on the source, strategic leadership fitness includes dozens of attitudes, skills and abilities. Of these laundry lists, the least discussed are:
*Situational Awareness
* Energy Management
Situational Awareness is being aware of the context – the circumstances or facts that surround a situation or event. For instance, when I founded Change Your Mind, social media was almost non-existent. I placed written
word ads in physical paper magazines! Who can even imagine that context now?
Situational Awareness is a form of mental radar of internal and external environments. Internal include culture, processes, systems, service… elements involved in performing your function. When I founded Change Your Mind, the product line was books and audio tapes. Now it’s streaming adios and downloadable free reports. Culture, systems, and services changed.
External environments include the marketplace, customers, competition, government policies, and other factors outside your control. For over a decade, I have used the same high quality – medium priced printer. I placed an order yesterday and got a message the printing is done in Canada (unknown to me before), and I was required to complete a customs form. My assumption is the new tariffs will be applied to my order, making it cost- prohibitive to continue with this printer. The marketplace changed.
For decades, I have used my Change Your Mind technology to increase my leadership effectiveness – writing and recording a script I listen to while I sleep. Here are a few affirmations I’ve used to support flowing with changes
(which are on the audio – Accept Change & Face Your Future):
I give myself permission to change, and I welcome my changes
I see life as a natural process of unfolding
I accept the future can be unknown and unknowable
I accept the future can be unpredictable and unreliable
I face my future with confidence, happiness, acceptance and peace
I am on the right path, and my next step is clear to me now
I release my past, live in my present and welcome my future
I move boldly toward my future with faith and trust
I face my unknown future wise, free and unafraid
Energy Management is a combination of mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. It reverses the attitude that the leader that works the longest / hardest is the best leader. That leader got burn-out, diminishing capabilities on all levels. The concept of work-life balance is now being proposed by many corporations and businesses, with support for well being on all levels, including mindfulness training, gym memberships, and mental wellness days off. Of course, taking the path of energy management is a lifelong journey.
Here are a few affirmations I’ve used to support living a balanced life (which are on the audio – Live a Balanced Life):
I accept living a balanced life is an active and dynamic process
I define balance based on the needs of my unique, individual and authentic self
I accept the factors of a balanced life can include changing my lifestyle
I attain and maintain a balanced rhythm between work, rest, leisure, and play
I make simple choices for powerful life changes, and I live a balanced life
I work well when it is time to work; I rest and relax fully when it is time to rest and relax
I attain and maintain a balanced life physically
I attain and maintain a balanced life mentally
I attain and maintain a balanced life emotionally
I attain and maintain a balanced life spiritually
APPLY:
Choose one affirmation a week and repeat it several times a day and just before falling asleep.
The Fifth Discipline, The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, Peter M Senge, Doubleday, 2006.
