Developing strategy Flashcards
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP - THE MEANING OF, AND NEED FOR, LEADERSHIP
What is leadership according to Johnson et al (2017)?
What is a leader according to Maccoby (2017)?
To be effective, leaders need to have the ability to do what?
What does Adair (1979) suggest effective leadership comes from and what is this known as? (3)
Adair (1979) suggests every leadership decision emanates from what and what will an effective leader be able to do?
Johnson et al (2017) = Leadership is the process of influencing an organisation (or group within an organisation) in its efforts towards achieving an aim or goal’
Maccoby (2017) = a leader is someone with followers
the ability to change how people think, as well as to influence what they do
Adair (1979) = ‘action centred leadership’ = suggests that effective leadership comes at the centre of the recognition of:
(1) individual = the need of each person
(2) group = the aligned needs of the mixture of different people within a team
(3) task = the requirements for the team of individuals to fulfil the strategic task
Every leadership decision will emanate from 1 of these 3 aspects, and the effective leader will be able to take decisions to ensure that all 3 perspectives are satisfied appropriately
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP - THE MEANING OF, AND NEED FOR, LEADERSHIP
What is am autocratic leader?
What is a participative leader?
Johnson et al (2017) note that the many leadership styles may be fitted into two general types: transformational and transactional.
What is a transformational leader?
Name an example.
What is a transactional leader?
Name an example.
What does successful strategic leadership require?
Autocratic leader = will dictate and drive the strategic direction
Participative leader = will work with others for a combined decision on direction
Transformational leader = will focus on the building of the strategic vision, the creation of identity and empowerment, and the development of an appropriate culture
E.g., Steve Jobs = original inspiring entrepreneur behind an organisation
Transactional leader = concerned with making sure that the operational flow is appropriate to enable the strategy to be achieved
= term ‘transaction’ refers to the motivation of followers by the exchange of reward for performance
E.g., Fred Goodwin at RBS plc before the 2007 financial crisis
Requires a combination of both transformational and transactional leadership and autocratic and participative leadership
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP - MODELS OF LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATION - ESSENTIAL SKILLS
What are the 6 key skills that Schoemaker suggests are required for a successful strategic leader?
Leaders should (as and where appropriate):
- Anticipate = show constant vigilance to consider potential changes within the business and ambiguous threats and opportunities
- Challenge = have a perpetual questioning of the status quo
- Interpret = assimilate complex and conflicting information viewed in the context of previous strategic decision
- Decide = drive strategic action after a robust and appropriate consideration process
- Align = bring together differing stakeholder expectations
- Learn = the promotion of a culture of organisational enquiry to ensure that all participants in the strategy process understand why some strategies succeed and some fail
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP - MODELS OF LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATION - PRINCIPLE CENTRED LEADERSHIP
What does Covey (1989) suggest is the basic task of leadership and what 3 things does this recognise?
What are Covey (1992)’s 4 core dimensions that are required to be an effective leader?
Cover (1989) = ‘The basic task of leadership is to increase the standard of living and the quality of life for all stakeholders’
= recognises (1) the need for change, (2) that what is required is an improvement on the ‘today’ position, and (3) that there will be a range of stakeholders
- Security = a strategic leader must maintain their own professional ability and integrity through relevant continual learning, and have the ability to find a safe route through the conflicting views of others
- Guidance = a strategic leader must develop the ability to communicate with different parties who will be looking to them for guidance and to guide them in the optimal strategic direction
- Power = a strategic leader must learn how to use their power over the lives/paths of other people for the benefit of the individual, the team and the task (linked to Adair concept)
- Wisdom = a strategic leader must find the time to think before acting and therefore bring their wisdom into their strategic decision-making
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP - MODELS OF LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATION - THE LEARNING ORGANISATION
How is a learning organisation possible?
What is Senge’s fivefold approach to achieve systemic thinking?
What are the 2 benefits of creating a shared vision (step 3)?
How will the strategic leader facilitate this?
Learning organisation is only possible because of the people within, each on their own personal strategic journey
The learning organisation is built from 5 cumulative stages, and is best viewed as an increasing model:
- Personal mastery = the strategic leader should encourage each individual to utilise and develop their own particular, unique skill set to master their area of expertise
- Mental models = the strategic leader will then encourage each individual to explore anything that is remotely practical to stretch the mind of the induvial and the potential of the organisation
- Shared vision = the strategic leader will then encourage each individual to develop their communication ability to share their vision and mental models to a wider group of people
- Team learning = once visions have been shared a natural process of team learning will emerge = aligning and developing capacities of a team, where people act together to create shared desired results
- Systemic thinking = in the emergence of systems thinking, the strategic leader will need to bring together the individual, team, and task to focus on strategic outcomes
Benefits = (1) will embed the mental models within a wider reality, (2) will encourage others to also begin to develop their own mastery and mental models
The strategic leader will facilitate the sharing process through workshops and other such events, and ensuring the involvement of all appropriate stakeholders
SYSTEMS AND STRATEGY - BUILDING A SWOT ANALYSIS OF TODAY
By identifying, considering and challenging the interaction of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats we are able to achieve what?
What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats predominantly based on?
How do strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats fit together?
What is the advantage of developing a comprehensive and vibrant SWOT approach to business analysis and review? (3)
A comprehensive understanding of why today looks like today, why the business is performing in the way that it is performing, and why people behave in the way they behave
strengths and weaknesses of an organisation are predominantly based around the internal drivers (easier to control than external aspects)
opportunities and threats are predominantly based around external drivers
If an opportunity is taken it can become a strength, if a weakness is not resolved it can become a threat
To understand:
(1) how the strengths are able to combat the weaknesses and avoid them becoming threats
(2) how the optimal strategic opportunities can be identified and be turned into strengths within the organisation
(3) how the strengths, either existing or through realisation of opportunity, can be used to mitigate the threats
SYSTEMS AND STRATEGY - BUILDING A SWOT ANALYSIS OF TODAY
To compile and effectively use a SWOT analysis, what are the 6 simple rules?
- Ensure that the analysis is focused and brief (good to restrict each segment to equal max. no. of aspects - 5 or 9 are good benchmarks)
- Each point should be restricted to a relatively small number of words
- Relative positioning within the matrix, particularly with regard to strength and weakness, can be important
- The completed analysis should be used for debate, challenge and brainstorming within the organisation
- There is a need for timely and recent data and information
- There should be a consistent approach each time the SWOT analysis is undertaken and communicated
SYSTEMS AND STRATEGY - BASIC ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
What is the micro-environment?
Name an example.
What is the macro-environment?
Name an example.
Micro-environment (near environment) = is external to the organisation but is relatively close
E.g., if organisation needs cash and interest rates are low, the company should be able to negotiate an appropriate loan with the bank = this is an external structure and force, but the basic dynamics will be within the organisation’s negotiating control
Macro-environment (far environment) = is external to the organisation but is much further away than the micro-environment, and usually outside organisation’s direct control
E.g., a major financial crisis, increase interest rates, the increasing of taxation on customers, all would be outside organisation’s control but could have a significant impact on the business
SYSTEMS AND STRATEGY - RESOURCE CONSIDERATION
What is meant by determining an operational fit?
SYSTEMS AND STRATEGY - SUPPLY CHAIN THINKING
What are the 3 underpinning aspects of an organisational supply chain?
What are the 4 categories of inputs?
What is transformation?
= It is important to ensure that strategic thinking is based around reality rather than an unachievable vision = need to take a realistic position on resources that are currently available, or those that are believed to be obtainable
SUPPLY CHAIN THINKING
To think strategically, must be able to understand and assess the strategic significance of the 3 underpinning aspects of an organisational supply chain: (1) inputs, (2) transformation (USP), and (3) outputs (goods/services)
- People = Who are the key decision-makers?
- Capital = Is the short-term financial position sustainable? Is the longer-term strategic financial structure appropriate?
- Material = Which suppliers are fundamental to the existence as a viable organisation?
- Knowledge = who are the real thinkers?
Transformation = the point of strategic differentiation from the competition = every successful organisation has its USP
SYSTEMS AND STRATEGY - SYSTEMS THINKING
O’Connor and McDermott (1997) suggest that a system is what?
What are the 3 core constituents to a system?
What comprehension does this lead to?
a system is an entity that maintains its existence and functions as a whole through the interaction of its parts
(1) the whole, (2) the parts, (3) the connections between the parts
= a system as an entity must, in some way, rely upon the way that the parts work together (one of the differentiators of a systems thinking approach)
SYSTEMS AND STRATEGY - SYSTEMS THINKING
What is ‘management by exception’ and ‘gap analysis’?
What are the 3 stages?
What is the purpose of a systems diagram?
Name the relevant case study.
Need to understand how the system is working to better understand why the system goes wrong, when it inevitably does
Stage 1: draw the boundary = the boundary represents the extremities of the system or structure to be considered
Stage 2: identify the elements = the core facets within any system boundary = may be people, documents, processes, or questions that need answering before continuing
Stage 3: establish the relationships = important to consider the positioning of, and the linkages between, the elements
Purpose = to allow systemic analysis when ‘things go wrong’ = it is possible to use the systems diagram to consider which of the relationships is failing
UK rail service disruption = those involved in the planning of the timetable changes caused severe distribution to service as engineering was placed ahead of serving passengers
PEOPLE AND STRATEGY - STRATEGY FROM THE TOP
How does the CA2006 show directors’ role in strategy?
How are governance and operation differentiated?
What role does the CEO have?
What danger can this lead to?
Why?
How do Cancer Research UK manage this danger?
What is meant by ‘the fish rots from the head’?
s.172 = director duty to strive towards ‘success’ of the company = means each director is in some way involved with the establishment and oversight of strategy within the organisation
Governance = establishment and oversight of strategy
Operation = day-to-day delivery of the strategic objectives
CEO will have dual accountability for governance and operation within the organisation = seen as chief strategist with ultimate responsibility and ownership of all strategic decisions, and full accountability for its success or failure
significant danger when organisation’s strategy is too closely aligned, on a personal level, with the character and work of the CEO
Investors may be led to buy or sell shares based around the character of the CEO rather than the successful operation of the organisation
Cancer Research UK = provide leaders with regular feedback through Manager Insight Survey
The fish rots from the head = ultimately the success or failure of strategy will depend upon the performance and/or leadership of the board and SM
PEOPLE AND STRATEGY - STRATEGY FROM WITHIN
Throughout an organisation, many people with management responsibility will also contribute to the development of strategy. Explain how.
What are the 5 advantages of allowing strategic involvement from within the organisation?
What are the 3 disadvantages of allowing too much strategic involvement from within the organisation?
decisions taken on a daily basis by management will inevitably influence strategic outcome and strategic direction
Advantages:
1. people working within the organisation have a much greater knowledge of the day-to-day pressures of the operation
2. people will find workable solutions to ensure a task is achieved
3. people are always working at the latest ‘today’ position as opposed to the point where an original strategy was established
4. people will bring momentum to the strategic success of an operational activity
5. people will be more motivated to help when they recognise that the development of the strategy has involved others who are directly involved in and understand the requirements
Disadvantages:
(1) a lack of understanding of a wider strategic vision from within the organisation
(2) a lack of confidential information that is required to understand the longer-term vision
(3) the risk of negative and inappropriate reaction to short-term operational and task failure
PEOPLE AND STRATEGY - STRATEGY FROM WITHIN
Different departments and influencers within an organisation will be able to contribute at particular points to the effective development of strategy.
Explain how so for the:
Finance department
Human resources
External consultants/experts
Company secretary (4)
Finance department = ensure the appropriateness of required funding, act as a sense check as strategy evolves and provide a financial measurement of success based around KPI
Human resources = ensure appropriate people and succession plans are in place throughout the life of the strategy
External consultants/experts = may be required on an ad-hoc basis to supplement existing employees to satisfy requirements in the initial formulation of strategy and at key points throughout its evolution
Company secretary = key roles:
1. the provision of an independent link between directors, chair and the CEO
2. the objective facilitation of information gathering and the alignment of different interests
3. the observation of directors and others within meetings, identifying areas of weakness and training needed
4. the building of an independent oversight and history of strategic successes and failures
PEOPLE AND STRATEGY - CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
There are a range of different personalities involved in the formulation of strategy so it is understandable that there will often be conflicts of interest within an organisation.
Name an example of conflicts of interest.
How are conflicts of interest dealt with in the CA2006?
Can someone with a conflict of interest be involved in the development of strategy?
E.g., an individual seeking to gain personally from influencing a strategic decision in a particular direction
S.177 and 182 = directors required to declare conflicts of interest
= declared conflicts are usually managed using a control mechanism such as a register of conflicts, and by managing the conflict itself
Yes, but the conflict itself has to be managed = the person with the conflict is usually not permitted to be involved in the decision-making of that particular aspect
