Strategic Leadership:Key principles of effective

leadership & strategy

Bob de Wit

Professor of Strategic Leadership, Open Universiteit

Director, Strategy Works / Strategy Academy Rotterdam

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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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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 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.

Strategy Academy Institutional

Strategy Academy serves companies, universities and business schools with tailored management education programs.

Our mission: Rigor & Relevance

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Strategy Academy & …

International Strategic Leadership ProgramStrategy Academy Executive

Executive PhD ProgramStrategy Academy Research

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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

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’

RationalReasoningPerspective

GenerativeReasoningPerspective

Great leaders:

‘Great’ leaders have the ability and capabilities to bridge differences of opinion, preference and interests at a higher level’ (Collins & Porras)

21ST Century leaders

‘This goes beyond professional competence. It relates to personal development objectives and ambitions’ (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner)

Strategic Leaders:

‘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

Economizing

Politicizing

Strategizing

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Corporate Level Strategy Perspectives

Portfolio OrganizationPerspective

Integrated Organization Perspective

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

Synergy

Responsiveness

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Strategic leaders take a dialectical approach

Range of ideas

Points of contention

Stimulus for bridging

Stimulus for creativity

Presenting opposite perspectives frame the full set of views that exist on the topic

The ´contrast function´ of opposite ideas is that it brings points of contention into sharper focus

The ´integrative function´ of presenting opposite ides is that it stimulates readers to seek a way of getting the best of both worlds

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

Philosophy: rigor & relevance Readings & practical cases

Goals: Personal & Professional Profiler feedback & tools

Work & life balance 20 EC of personal & group work

Program: 9 blocks

1. Kick-off

2. Personal strategy style

3. Intercultural differences

4. International perspectives

5. International organizations

6. International context

7. Organizational purpose

8. Personal leadership style

9. Graduation paper

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Leaders Dealing with Strategic Tensions

V

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Strategists Dealing with Leadership Tensions

THANK YOU!

DISCUSSION