Leading in Changing Times: Leaders with a Vision: The ability to see beyond the present

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Stephanie Wrightsman-Birch, RNC, MPH, MS, FNP

Quick Overview How to Use Web Technology

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Quick Overview How to Use Web Technology

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Housekeeping

The Leading in Changing Time Series webinars are meant to be collaborative conversations between Key MCH leaders and the

audience. Today be prepared to hear a great, thought-provoking presentation, ask great questions, and share your

thoughts and experiences.

This format only works if YOU are personally engaged.

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STEPHANIE WRIGHTSMAN-BIRCHCHIEF

SECTION OF WOMEN’S, CHILDREN’S, AND FAMILY HEALTH

ALASKA DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH

APRIL 30, 2014

The Essential Skills of Strategic Leadership

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

What does it mean to be strategic?

Adaptation in an every changing environment 46 chief executives and business leaders were interviewed

by the Marketing Society to come up with a definitive list They rated strategic leadership to be the single most

critical skill

Michel Robert in his book “Strategy Pure & Simple” describes strategic thinking as “the process of thought that goes on inside the heads of leadership and key people around them that helps them to determine “the look” of the organization.

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

Strategic thinking is the Framework

Strategic thinking is different from strategic planning and operational planning

It serves as the framework for leadership to determine “what” the organization should look like

But what are the skills needed to lead an organization to “get there”?

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

The Essential Skills

There are Six:AnticipateChallengeInterpretDecideAlignLearn

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

ANTICIPATE

This is the skill that helps you to detect threats and opportunities: Gather information internal and external to the

organization

Consider alternative scenarios-environmental scans can be helpful; use those scenarios to imagine best and worst case

Network and talk with your “peeps”

Talk with other states and find out what they are doing!

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

CHALLENGE

Question the status quoChallenge you own and others’

assumptionsEncourage others to speak their mind

and share their fearsUse your “lenses” carefully-examine

problems or challenges through a variety of lenses.

Think critically

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

INTERPRET

The skill of synthesizing information-making sense of it

Avoid reflexive responsesWhat are the patterns in the

information?What is the qualitative as well as the

quantitative information telling you?Step away from the data or information

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

DECIDE

Making decisions takes courage-avoid “analysis paralysis”

There is a fine balance between getting the right enough information and options and avoiding shooting from the hip.

Break big decisions into pieces-be incremental

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

ALIGN

The art of finding common ground and achieving buy in

Requires outreach, communication, building trust and frequent engagement

Remember that consensus is a goal, but not the means to an end

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

LEARN

Create a Learning EnvironmentRole model Seek out examples where others were successful and were not successful

Study the Failures of others and yourself-be open and share what you learned from your study

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

Take the Test

Strategic Aptitude Test Assessment

Can be found at hbrsurvey.decsionstrat.com or at www.decisionstrat.com

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

How can these skills be used ?

Think about the implementation of MCH 3.0What will be your approach to implementing this new framework?

When you think about strategic leadership, what are the first 3 steps to take to get staff buy in?

Section of Women’s, Children’s, and Family Health

Conclusions

Work to apply the skills together

Analyze your performance Get input from your staffShare what you have learned

STEPHANIE.WRIGHTSMAN-BIRCH@ALASKA.GOV(907) 334-2424

CHIEFSECTION OF WOMEN’S, CHILDREN’S, & FAMILY HEALTH

3601 C STREET, SUITE 322ANCHORAGE, AK 99503

Thank You

Discussion

Time to share your thoughts and experiences.

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