Transcript Strategic Leadership: Key principles of effective

Strategic Leadership:
Key principles of effective
leadership & strategy
Bob de Wit
Professor of Strategic Leadership, Open Universiteit
Director, Strategy Works / Strategy Academy Rotterdam
Agenda
1. Introducing Strategy Academy &
Open Universiteit cooperation
2. Strategic leadership principles
3. International leadership program
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Agenda
1. Introducing Strategy Academy &
Open Universiteit cooperation
2. Strategic leadership principles
3. International leadership program
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Flagship publications
“The authors carefully guide the
readers through the many, often
conflicting, perspectives in the
field of strategy, in order to help
them become critical and creative
strategic thinkers”.
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Our mission: Rigor & Relevance
De Wit & Meyer is an international consulting, training, coaching & research
company, dedicated to improving our clients’ corporate strategy, corporate
leadership, corporate renewal and corporate learning
Strategy Academy
Institutional
Strategy Academy serves companies,
universities and business schools with
tailored management education programs.
Strategy Academy
Research
Strategy Academy Research is the vehicle
for scientific research, in cooperation with
universities and business schools
Strategy Works
.
Strategy Works is an international strategy
consulting and coaching firm, specialized in
facilitating boardroom decision-making and
guiding companies through processes of
strategic renewal.
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Strategy Academy & …
Strategy Academy
Executive
International Strategic Leadership Program
Strategy Academy
Research
Executive PhD Program
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Agenda
1. Introducing Strategy Academy &
Open Universiteit cooperation
2. Strategic leadership principles
3. International leadership program
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Next Level of Leadership
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Higher expectations and pressure on improved results;
Higher levels of complexity and ambiguity;
Increased information overload;
Incompatible and even contradicting information;
And a variety of opinions and perspectives…..
…require effective leadership and leaders who stretch
their ‘glass ceilings of leadership’ on permanent basis
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Key Questions for Leaders
1. WHAT CREATES GLASS CEILINGS OF LEADERSHIP?
2. WHERE IS YOUR GLASS CEILING OF LEADERSHIP?
3. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO STRETCH YOUR CEILING?
4. ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE UP YOUR ‘MENTAL SEAT
BELTS’ TO REACH A HIGHER LEVEL?
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From ‘my perspective’ to ‘bridging’
Great leaders:
‘Great’ leaders have the ability and
capabilities to bridge differences of
opinion, preference and interests at a
higher level’ (Collins & Porras)
Generative
Reasoning
Perspective
21ST Century leaders
‘This goes beyond professional
competence. It relates to personal
development objectives and ambitions’
(Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner)
Strategic Leaders:
Rational
Reasoning
Perspective
‘Strategic leaders have the ability and
capabilities to apply ‘great’ leadership
principles on strategic issues and
tensions’ (De Wit & Meyer)
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Managing Tensions as Paradoxes
Engineering
Politicizing
Economizing
Strategizing
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Corporate Level Strategy Perspectives
Synergy:
Multi-business companies must exploit
synergies between businesses to
create competitive advantage.
Multi-country companies must exploit
global synergies to create competitive
advantage.
Responsiveness:
Businesses must remain responsive to
market changes.
Businesses must remain responsive to
local differences
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Integrated
Organization
Perspective
S
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g
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Portfolio
Organization
Perspective
Responsiveness
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Strategic leaders take a dialectical approach
Range of ideas
Presenting opposite perspectives frame the full
set of views that exist on the topic
Points of contention
The ´contrast function´ of opposite ideas is that
it brings points of contention into sharper focus
Stimulus for bridging
The ´integrative function´ of presenting opposite
ides is that it stimulates readers to seek a way
of getting the best of both worlds
Stimulus for creativity
The ´generative function´ of presenting opposite
ideas is that it stimulates innovative ideas
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Key principles for effective leadership
Stretching your ‘glass ceiling of leadership’ means:
• Knowing yourself and accepting the way it is
• Overcoming your own perspective (opinion, interest, preference, etc)
• Understanding others’ perspectives (strengths, advantages)
• Embracing the differences (great you’re different, let’s explore)
• Developing capabilities to bridge differences and contradictions
• Deciding it is worth giving up mental seatbelts
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Agenda
1. Introducing Strategy Academy &
Open Universiteit cooperation
2. Strategic leadership principles
3. International leadership program
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The International Strategic Leadership Program
Format: blended learning
 Self-study & network meetings
Program: 9 blocks
Philosophy: rigor & relevance
 Readings & practical cases
Goals: Personal & Professional
 Profiler feedback & tools
Work & life balance
 20 EC of personal & group work
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Kick-off
Personal strategy style
Intercultural differences
International perspectives
International organizations
International context
Organizational purpose
Personal leadership style
Graduation paper
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Leaders Dealing with Strategic Tensions
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Strategists Dealing with Leadership Tensions
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THANK YOU!
DISCUSSION