Comprehensive Approach to Strategic Management Leading Across the Strategic Management Domain

¶ … Strategic Management

One of the key measurements of dedicated leadership is the style of management approaches being utilized in inspiring people to move for the betterment of the organization. These approaches must include a well implemented strategic management concept which entails identification of what type of strategic leadership must lead the organization.

As we speak of leadership styles towards a well-defined management strategy, there are variables that differ from each type which will put us into understanding that leadership styles varies in different management environment. The classical administrator according to Fayol is a leader dedicated to the entire cycle of planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling. It is an old school management style which follows strict management protocols of differentiating the roles of superiors and subordinates.

Analysis

The design school planner as introduced by Kenneth Andrews describes leaders as planners of medium to long-term development of an organization. These leaders are architects of strategic planning who envision sustainable impact which is designed in a minimum of five years. An action-oriented leader best characterizes a role playing manager who leads an organization through actions. Next in row is a political contingency responder as introduced by Pfiffer and Salawick is a leader who monitors internal and external environment as potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organization. This type of leader recognizes critical strategic issues and is ready to find strategic means to counteract the challenges. A competitive positioner by Michael Porter is a manager whose ideas evolve in competitive strategies enabling his or her market to increase. Peters and Waterman and Deal and Kennedy introduced the visionary transformer which is the best type for the present age. Visionary leaders are transformers of plans to reality and apply strategies for success.

The self-organizing facilitator is an organization designer focusing on organizing its people. This leader believes that for the organization to succeed, people within should believe in themselves that they are the right people serving the organization. The turn-around strategist is a tough decision maker especially in times of great problems. This type of leader is inclined in making decisions which will either make or unmake the organization's goals. Lastly, the crisis avoider is a proactive leader who acknowledges the likelihood of crisis and believes that it is part and parcel of an organization but has put risk management strategies to easily intervene with the crisis.

Knowing the different leadership strategic styles enables us to understand that organizations are being managed differently because of the variables within. There are 8Ps in strategic management which also guides managers in the discharge of their management roles. These include processes of decision-making, pattern, power, position, perspective, people motivation and control system, problems and challenges and the environment of decision making.