The transformative power of strategic leadership
Great leaders have the most transformative powers. One of the traits of exceptional leadership is the ability to see potential in your team and harness this to enable growth. Enabling your team is one of the most valuable investments you can make. Done well, this small act of empowerment will pay you back in dividends, time and time again.
In this post, we’re going to focus on transformation, the benefits of thinking strategically, and look at how to enable your team to develop and grow.
Think like a football manager
It’s rare to meet a football manager who also plays in the team. I know a handful do, but most of the time you see them leading from the sidelines, thinking about strategy, tactics to beat the competition, and how to build a culture of success.
Often, leaders become so involved in the granular detail of day-to-day operations, they fail to recognise the potential of the team around them. Individuals who, with a little more support and development from their manager, could easily step up and perform at a higher level. I see it happening in both large organisations and small businesses. These are the player-managers.
I’d like you to think like a football manager who leads from the sideline. Step back and take time now to consider how you will build the capabilities of individuals in your team. Doing this will create space for you to focus on the bigger picture and start thinking more strategically. If you do it well, I guarantee you will be rewarded with the time to make important plans for the future.
What will your next steps be? Think about it from an organisational perspective and in terms of your own personal leadership development. You also deserve to build your capabilities.
The benefits of strategic thinking
Strategic thinking is the ability to consider things with a broad, long-term perspective. It’s an area that’s never too far from my mind as I write my second book: Exceptional Leadership Makes Sense... Business Sense.
When you develop a strategic mindset, it enables you to:
Identify opportunities, improvements and new ways of doing things
Set goals and make realistic plans to achieve them
Manage your time better, prioritise tasks and use your own resources more effectively
Step back, gain clarity and view things differently
Create space to listen, learn and observe what’s happening all around you
Become more creative and innovative
Progress your own career and support your team to do the same
Achieve business growth and profitability
Strategic thinking is not new
The concept of a strategic mindset and enabling teams is by no means new, but it does take some time and effort to train your mind to think this way. If this is something you struggle to grasp or focus on, our leadership development programme may support you to take the next steps.
In one of his TED talks, Simon Sinek discusses the subject of infinite goals. He makes the point that, when you give yourself time and space to consider how to attain your goals, this can be hugely powerful and transformative.
Nancy Kline’s book ‘Time to Think’ provides more excellent evidence of why we need space to be creative and to listen to what is needed in order to improve. I highly recommend this for a Christmas read.
One guarantee in all our working lives is that our bosses, leaders and organisations always want more. More productivity, more creativity, more innovation, more hours, more effort, more customers through the door. A strategic mindset and the ability to step back and recognise the potential in your team, can help you to deliver all of this.
How to enable your team
If you really want your business and team to remain relevant, you need to think way beyond the current reality. In order to make change happen, start thinking in terms of transformations rather than transactions.
As you sit down with your team to talk about goal setting for the coming year, ask each person what support they would like from you to help them flourish and grow. One simple question could open up a world of opportunities and transformations - for you, the individual, and your organisation.
Trust and enable the team around you and you will experience the most wonderful transformative effects. Strategic leadership can have a positive impact on motivation, productivity and engagement, and create a culture where anything is possible.
Remember, your team rely on your leadership to guide them to deliver even better results week-on-week, month-on-month, and year-to-year. What are you doing to challenge yourself and your team to be even more exceptional, now and into next year?
Experience our Exceptional Leadership programme
Our final Exceptional Development programme online taster takes place on Wednesday 6th December. Book your free place to try before you buy, experience our delivery style and ask questions to see if our programme is a good fit for you and your organisation. Alternatively, arrange a private 'Tell me more' chat with Sally.