Art retrieved from Oelwingo
Are you a Strategic
Manager?
by William "Frank"
Villanueva, PhD, MBA
Jeffrey D. McCausland
refers to leadership as a mechanism used to deal with change and motivate people
to achieve success. He argues that the leaders of the 21st century
need to “set goals, inspire performance, and monitor progress…” In their
article “Visionary
leadership and strategic management” Frances Westley and Henry
Mintzberg contend that leaders are those who get others to support their
vision, bringing people together to accomplish a common goal.
Management,
on the other hand, is about problem solving and responding to complex situations
such as dealing with the firm’s budget, resource allocations, and “organizing
and staffing.” Management also deals with talent management, environmental
laws, and making sure all policies and procedures are adhered to. The success
of the firm is often connected to a senior manager’s meticulous practice of
strategic management. Mastering strategic management skills requires that senior
managers also possess and apply leadership skills into their daily operations.
Strategic managers use management
and leadership skills to persuade and drive change, do more with fewer
resources, and adapt to new environments. Strategic managers do not separate
the management of resources from the art of leading employees when crafting and
executing a strategy. They understand that a successful business strategy
requires the simultaneous applicability of management and leadership
skills. These managers constantly prepare
for future operations through long-range planning and are always prepared to
adjust to dynamic changes based on short-range shifting objectives.
Strategic managers lead by
inspiring and motivating employees. They learn to trust subordinates and delegate
tasks while maintaining full accountability.
They manage their firm assessing the current situation and preparing to take
calculated risks to adjust to any emergent changes. These strategic managers
and leaders make decisions under the most stressful conditions while exercising
sound judgment. Strategic managers always perform their duties with one primary
goal in mind: “Mission success.”
Dr. William "Frank" Villanueva is a
freelance writer, former business owner, and U.S. Navy veteran with over 25
years of leadership experience.