- DQ1. ARE THE VIEWS PRESENTED IN THE TWO ARTICLES CONSISTENT OR DO THEY VARY, AND IN WHAT WAY? AFTER COMPARING THE TWO VIEWPOINTS, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ROLE OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS? WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE AND WHAT SHOULD BE THEIR GOALS?
The views presented in the two articles are consistent in that they appreciate the need for strategic leadership in the turbulent and changing modern business environment (Boal & Hooijberg, 2000; Ireland & Hitt, 1999). However, there are some inconsistencies. Ireland and Hitt’s article dwells on six components of effective leadership while that by Boal and Hooijberg centres on why strategic leadership matters and it also examines various strategic leadership theories.
Strategic leadership plays the role of facilitating change and bringing about dynamism and adaptability that helps businesses to cope with challenging and complex situations. Strategic leadership gears this dynamism to enhancing performance and ultimately to the acquisition of larger market shares and overcoming of competition (Ireland & Hitt, 1999).
The people who should participate in strategic leadership are mainly the executive management and the middle level managers such as departmental managers and supervisors. Team leaders in different departments should also be part of the strategic leadership.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has the role of improving public relations of the organization and the general public. In strategic leadership, CSR has the role of giving organizational leaders an enviable reputation in the public limelight which creates a bond between the leaders and the target market (Waldman & Siegel, 2008). As such, the leaders are able to gather useful information about products and services as well as competitor information. They can later on devise ways to improve on their business on issues such as pricing, packaging, sizing among other issues. Strategic leadership and CSR build a successful organization through the development of mutual goals by the target market and the organizational leaders.
- DQ3. CONCLUDE YOUR DISCUSSION BY DESCRIBING HOW YOUR VIEWS ON AND THE DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP HAVE CHANGED DURING THIS COURSE.
Prior to enlisting for this course, I never understood clearly the differences between leadership and management. However, with time, I have come to appreciate leadership as the situation where someone sets the pace and inspires others to follow his/her course. Organizational leaders should take leadership training regularly in order to hone their leadership skills also get acquainted with the latest happenings in the business world.
References
Boal, K., & Hooijberg, R. (2000). Strategic leadership research: Moving on. Leadership Quarterly, 11(4), 515–549.
Waldman, D., & Siegel, D. (2008). Defining the socially responsible leader. Leadership Quarterly, 19(1), 117–131.
Ireland, D., & Hitt, M. (1999). Achieving and maintaining strategic competitiveness in the 21st century: The role of strategic leadership. Academy of Management Executive, 13(1) 43–57.
