IT Leadership

There is an often quoted expression in leadership development that you can’t lead others until you learn to lead yourself. While this concept is simple to understand, it is much more challenging to put into practice.

This article explores the notion that self-leadership and strategic thinking are inseparable, and that developing strategic thinking requires a conscious commitment to self-leadership.

Through this exploration, it is hoped that the reader will come to better understand the nature of strategic thinking as a foundational aspect of leadership, and will be better equipped to develop strategic thinking and self-leadership in themselves and others.

So, let’s begin by defining our terms. What is leadership?

Leadership: A Working Definition

If you ask ten different people to define leadership, you will likely get at least eight different answers. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of leadership is that it means different things to different people. In fact, this is one of the most critical aspects of leadership: it is malleable, and adaptable, and can be tailored to a specific situation or context.

Despite these differences, leadership is ultimately about influence. You can influence through formal authority, such as a title or position within an organization. Or you can influence informally, through relationships, personality, and actions. This influence can be positive, such as when it empowers others to achieve their best, or delivers positive outcomes for organisations and communities. But positive influence can also be exerted in ways that are destructive, unethical, or harmful.

While different styles of leadership can be effective in different situations, no style is universally effective. Effective leadership cannot be measured solely by the achievements of the leader, but more importantly by the sustainable outcomes achieved for the communities, organisations, or nations influenced by the leader.

So, to delve deeper into this concept of leadership, let’s break it down into two primary types:

Leadership Through Relationship

If leadership is about influence, then leadership through relationship is about influencing through interpersonal connections. This type of leadership is often associated with charismatic personalities who can captivate and motivate large groups of people. Relationship leaders are often described as visionary, and can powerfully inspire and motivate followers through their passion and beliefs.

However, relationship leadership is also vulnerable to the weaknesses of the leader. If the leader’s charisma is rooted in egocentrism, then the resultant influence can be destructive and harmful. Also, if the leader fails to develop a reciprocal relationship with their followers, then any resulting achievements may be shallow and short-lived.

Leadership Through Position

In contrast, leadership through position is influence derived from an official title or role. This type of leadership is rooted in formal authority, and the resulting influence is based on responsibility and accountability.

Positioned leaders are often associated with organisational goals and objectives. They are characterised by their ability to manage resources to achieve organisational objectives. Positioned leaders are usually the architects of systems and structures that deliver agreed organisational outputs.

Similarly to relationship leadership, positioned leadership is also vulnerable to the strengths and weaknesses of the leader. If a positioned leader is inflexible or lacks understanding, they may achieve results through intimidation and coercion. The resultant achievements may be profitable and successful, but at the cost of alienating staff, or harming customers, communities, or the environment.

So, as we can see, there are many different types of leadership, and many ways to define leadership. Perhaps the most important aspect of leadership is that there is no universally applicable approach. Leadership is contextual, and the most successful leaders are those who are adaptable and flexible in their leadership style.

But if we are to explore the concept of leadership in context, we must first understand the context itself. What is culture?

Culture: The Context for Leadership

Just as leadership is difficult to define, so too is culture. Organizational culture expert, Edgar Schein, describes culture as a complex combination of beliefs, perceptions, and values that result in behaviours and attitudes that determine how an organisation conducts its operations.

Organisational culture can be both explicit and implicit, and can be characterised as either strong or weak. A strong culture is one where there is a high level of shared understanding and consensus on ‘how things are done around here’. Whereas a weak culture exists where there is low shared understanding, and a lack of consensus on organisational norms and behaviours.

Regardless of whether an organisation has a strong or weak culture, culture is a powerful driver of human behaviour. Culture will dictate how people interact with each other, how they communicate, and what they perceive to be ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’. organisational culture will also determine how engaged and satisfied employees are with their work, and how well they align with the organisation’s mission and values.

Schein also argues that organisational culture is often implicit, and that organisations may not fully understand their own culture, even though employees experience and embody it every day. This lack of understanding organisational culture can be a major impediment to successful leadership, as leadership is deeply influenced by cultural context.

So, let’s now explore how culture and leadership are connected, and how this influences the concept of strategic thinking.

Understanding the Connection Between Leadership and Culture

Organisational culture and leadership are inextricably linked. Leadership determines the vision and direction of the organisation, and culture determines how that vision and those directions are interpreted and implemented.

Organisational culture is like a powerful river that has its own current, and can either resist, or flow with, changes in leadership. Conversely, leadership determines the strength and effectiveness of organisational culture. A leadership that understands and utilises organisational culture will more likely achieve successful outcomes, as against one that ignores cultural factors.

For example, a leadership team that wants to implement radical changes to organisational operations may struggle if the existing organisational culture is steeped in tradition and resists change. Conversely, a leadership team that recognises the need for change, and works to gradually introduce and reinforce new cultural norms, will likely achieve their objectives with less conflict and resistance.

This example illustrates the importance of leadership understanding and adapting to cultural context. It also highlights the importance of cultural awareness and sensitivity in effective leadership.

So, considering the interconnectedness of leadership and culture, we can now turn our attention to strategic thinking, and how it fits into this leadership paradigm.

Strategic Thinking: Defining the Concept

While there are many definitions of strategic thinking, Michael Porter offers a simple and practical definition:

> Strategic thinking is a discipline for formulating decisions and > actions that take into account the broader context in which the > organisation is operating, including the environment, stakeholders, and > future forecasts.

This broad definition is useful, as it encompasses both internal and external aspects that influence organisational success. And while this definition outlines the importance of strategic thinking, it does not necessarily imply that strategic thinking is the domain of leaders only. Rather, strategic thinking is a discipline that all organisational members should embrace. After all, as Peter Senge notes,

> Strategic thinking is a creative process that results in a new > way of thinking and acting.

This is an important point, as we will explore later. But first, let’s explore some of the key components of strategic thinking.

The Key Components of Strategic Thinking

When we explore the key characteristics of strategic thinking, we can identify five core components:

Observational Skills:Strategic thinkers have a keen ability to collect, organise, and analyse information, and are skilled in identifying patterns and trends in data. They are also good at looking beyond the obvious, to identify underlying issues and problems.

Creative Thinking:Strategic thinking requires creativity in developing innovative solutions to problems. This includes the ability to think conceptually, and to consider diverse perspectives and possibilities.

Analytical Skills:Strategic thinking requires a high level of analytical skills, including the ability to critically evaluate information, to break complex problems into manageable parts, and to make sound, evidence-based decisions.

Systems Thinking:Strategic thinking requires an understanding of the interconnectedness of organisational systems and processes, and how they influence each other. This allows the strategic thinker to consider the broader organisational context when developing solutions.

Visionary Thinking:Perhaps one of the most important components of strategic thinking is the ability to envision the future, to predict trends and possibilities, and to consider what success will look like. This requires the strategic thinker to shift their mindset from the present, to the future, and to consider the broader contextual environment in which the organisation is operating.

These components of strategic thinking are essential to effective leadership. So, let’s now turn our attention to how strategic thinking and self-leadership are intrinsically linked.

Self-Leadership and Strategic Thinking: An Intrinsic Link

We defined leadership as a discipline of influence, and self-leadership as the influence one exerts over oneself. This influence enables self-regulation, discipline, and self-motivation. It empowers individuals to make conscious choices that are aligned with their values and beliefs, and that contribute to their personal and professional growth.

Strategic thinking is a critical aspect of self-leadership, as it empowers individuals to take control of their own future, by understanding the contextual environment, and by consciously making choices and decisions that are aligned with their goals and aspirations.

This means that self-leaders are able to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses, and are willing and able to engage in ongoing learning and development. This promotes a growth mindset, where self-leaders see challenges and failures as opportunities for personal growth, rather than as personal setbacks.

This attitude of resilience and adaptability is a key component of strategic thinking, and it enables self-leaders to navigate through complex environments with confidence and creativity. In this way, self-leadership and strategic thinking become mutually reinforcing, and develop the self-leader’s sense of agency and autonomy.

So, by consciously developing strategic thinking, self-leaders are better able to navigate the complexities of organisational culture and achieve their goals. This brings us to the final section, the importance of cultivating a culture of strategic thinking.

Cultivating a Culture of Strategic Thinking

Organisational culture is a powerful driver of human behaviour, and it is essential to recognise that culture is not something that is static or immutable. Organisational culture can be consciously developed and adapted to support the organisation’s mission and objectives.

As we have discussed, organisational culture is context, and this includes strategic thinking as a core cultural value. Organisational leaders play a critical role in modelling and promoting strategic thinking, and in embedding it into organisational culture. This includes encouraging a culture of inquiry, where employees feel safe to ask questions and seek clarification, and where they are encouraged to think critically about their work and about the broader organisational context.

It also includes promoting a culture of creativity and innovation, where employees are encouraged to think outside the box and to develop new solutions to old problems. Leaders can reinforce this culture by recognising and rewarding creative thinking and innovation, and by celebrating successes, regardless of how small or how unlikely they may seem.

Finally, organisational leaders must strive to create an environment where strategic thinking is valued, and where it is an integral part of everyday work. This can be achieved through regular strategic thinking exercises, where employees are asked to consider the broader organisational context, and where they are encouraged to think creatively about future trends and developments.

By cultivating a culture of strategic thinking, organisational leaders create an environment where employees are actively engaged in their work, and where they feel empowered to take ownership of their future. This results in a workforce that is resilient, adaptable, and strategically focused.

In conclusion, we explored the concept of leadership, and more specifically, the concept of strategic thinking as a foundational aspect of leadership. We considered the relationship between leadership and organisational culture, and how cultural context influences leadership success. We also explored the idea that self-leadership and strategic thinking are intertwined, and that developing strategic thinking requires a conscious commitment to leading oneself.

We hope that this exploration has helped you to better understand the importance of strategic thinking, and how it can benefit both the individual and the organisation.

Thank you for reading.