What Is Strategic Leadership? Traits, Types & Examples

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

What is Strategic leadership?

Initially let’s define Strategic leadership– It is a leadership style in which leaders inspires and motivate the followers or employees to persuade strategically towards the goal such that the employees forecast the organization’s needs in the context of their own job.

Who is a Strategic leader?

A strategic leader is one who communicates a strategic vision in an organization. Moreover, He works in an ambiguous atmosphere of challenges that are impacted and influenced by external events and organizations and makes use of reward and incentive systems to encourage productive and quality people to exhibit much better performance for their company.

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Leader’s Tip
Create a compelling vision: Define the intended future state and involve employees in the transformation journey.

Types of Strategic leadership

Further, let’s read about the three types of strategic leadership –

1. Transformational leadership-Undeniably, leadership style in which leaders encourage, inspire, motivate and contribute to the leadership transformation of employees, followers and people around them to strive beyond required expectations to work toward a shared vision.
2. Transactional leadership– Further, Transactional Leadership is based on exchanges between the leader and follower or workers. So, This leadership style relies on attaining a particular goal through a system of rewards and punishment.
3. Charismatic leadership– leadership style in which the main purpose of leaders is to serve people.

What is Strategic Thinking in Leadership?

Although,Strategic thinking is a long-term cognitive process that helps a team or organization succeed. In other words, This requires the ability to predict events, having the discipline to prepare now, and being able to place yourself to compete and win in the future.

Five Strategic Leader Qualities

So, Here are the leadership traits of a strategic Leader

1. Collaborative
2. Inquisitive
3. Active listener and a good communicator
4. Passionate
5. Innovative

Michael porter generic strategies

Porter’s generic strategies outline how a business can seek to get a competitive edge in its chosen market. Moreover, Porter proposed four generic strategies around gaining a competitive advantage. In addition, These strategies could be used to categorize and influence corporate behaviour. Additionally, the four strategies are-

1. Cost leadership Strategy
2. Differentiation Strategy
3. Cost Focus Strategy
4. Lastly, Differentiation Focus Strategy

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Leader’s Tip
Encourage agility and adaptability: Encourage experimentation and constant evaluation and adjustment of strategic objectives.

 5 Examples of Great Strategic Leader

So, Here are some examples of great leaders who achieved remarkable success in their respective fields by inculcating strategic style of leadership-

• Martha Stewart
• Tony Blair
• Dwight David Eisenhower
• Howard Hughes
• Bill Gates

 Examples of Strategic leadership

Some renowned examples of leadership in organizations are following:

1. SpaceX- Elon Musk’s SpaceX is a well-described example of strategic leadership and innovation. Further, Musk has a great strategic vision and strongly believes that there is always a better way to accomplish things.
2. Amazon- Without a doubt, The remarkable success of amazon in past decades is an attribute to the strategic management and leadership of Jeff Bezos. So, the company always prioritized long-term progress over short-term benefits.
3. Apple– Apple Inc. was guided by Steve Jobs to completely embrace his vision by implementing key differentiating techniques such as customer service, simplicity, ease of use, and a focus on innovation.

 5 Advantages & Disadvantages of Strategic Leadership

Advantages are:

• Provides clarity in the decision-making and thus easy operations
• provides an organizational perspective.
• It helps Organizations prepare thus protection against competition future challenges
• brings clarity to tasks
• promotes unity

Disadvantages are:

• It very difficult to predict the future
• It takes time so, It is time -consuming
• Potential inflexibility
• The fallout of the Wrong strategic plan therefore it can be costly.
• can hinder the short-term profitability

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5 Strategic Leadership Books

In brief, Below listed are best books for strategic leaders-

1. The Art of Strategic Leadership: How Leaders at All Levels Prepare Themselves, Their Teams, and Organizations for the Future by Steven J. Stowell 
2. Strategic Leadership: How to Think and Plan Strategically and Provide Direction by John Adair
3. Strategic Leadership: Integrating Strategy and Leadership in Colleges and Universities by Richard L. Morrill 

5 best leadership quotes

Finally, Here are some leadership lessons for you-

1. Leadership is influence. —John C. Maxwell
2. The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet. —Reverend Theodore Hesburgh
3. The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. —Kenneth Blanchard
4. The challenge of leadership is to be strong but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor but without folly. —Jim Rohn
5. As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others. —Bill Gates

FAQs

Key Takeaways

• Strategic leadership entails developing and implementing effective strategies to drive organisational change and achieve long-term success.
• Strategic leaders prioritise resource alignment, strategic capability development, and predicting and capitalising on market opportunities.
• Forward-thinking, analytical decision-making, good communication, and a willingness to take calculated risks are the key characteristics of strategic leadership.