Running head: DEFINITIONS OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP 1
Definitions of Strategic Leadership
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Institution
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Definitions of Strategic Leadership
Leadership is very important in the running of all kinds of organizations and in
maintaining all relationships. Various people have defined leadership concepts differently to suit
their needs and contexts. Strategic leadership is another concept that has become very important
in recent years, and therefore, there is lots of literature concerning the idea as it applies in the
business world. Therefore, understanding strategic leadership from the perspectives of various
people may be a very effective way of learning. For the Assignment, the discussion will base on
the definition of leadership by Bob W. Cook (2019), Singphen et al. (2019) and Brett Perozzi
(2019).
Cook (2019) defines leadership from the context of leadership forward. The author
discusses leadership forward as a concept of leadership that applies differently to various levels
of leadership in organizations. The author defines strategic leadership as the highest level of
leadership in the organization. According to the author, strategic leadership applies to the highest
level of organizations. Strategic leadership involves senior managers and executives
understanding the internal and external environments of their businesses and organizations,
creating long term as well as short-term goals, being politically connected, and thinking
strategically. Therefore, strategic leaders are able to make connections with the outside systems
world and think of organizations in terms of systems and therefore leading forward. One unique
aspect of the definition is the idea that it applies at the top levels of organizations. The definition
of Cook (2019) is also limited because it is defined within the perspective of leadership forward
as a new concept of leadership.
Singphen et al. (2019), on the other hand, defined strategic leadership in the context of
school administration. However, unlike Cook (2019), Singphen et al. (2019) define strategic
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leadership based on the ideas of several other authors on the subject that the authors referred to
in writing the article. According to the authors, strategic leadership is a theory that applies to
leadership that describes the processes involved in the setting of the directions of organizations,
creating strategies and implementing them to meet the goals of the organization. In line with the
definition, individuals and organizations that apply strategic leadership have to be
knowledgeable of the changes that happen within and outside their organizations. They should
also anticipate and expect future short term as well as long-term changes and come up with
changes that will create a desirable future.
People who choose strategic leadership should ensure to have control over the strategies
they apply in their organizations as well as create strategies and evaluate them in a continuous
process. Therefore, strategic leadership is a process that continues in the capacity of the leader.
Evaluation of the strategies of an organization ensures that the measures remain relevant to the
achievement of the goals of the organization. Strategic leadership also ensures that there is
progress in the organization by implementing measures based on the expected changes in the
future. Four factors have to be considered when applying strategic leadership. Leaders have to
apply strategic function setting, strategic setting, strategic implementation, and strategic
evaluation. Therefore, strategic leadership is a process that has to ensure that the functions of the
organization are in line with the goals and that evaluations should happen at various points to
find out whether or not everything is in place.
Perozzi (2019) talks about leadership from the context of part-time working among
college students as they learn fulltime. The article does not directly define strategic leadership.
Rather, the author discusses the strategic use of leadership learning results. The author discusses
how colleges and similar institutions allow learners to learn and gain leadership experience while
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pursuing their higher education before they get to the job market. According to Perozzi, B.
(2019), the acquisition of important soft skills that are necessary for various employment
opportunities in the future of learners is important and therefore, the employment opportunities
are very important in the development of leadership.
The definitions and discussions of the three authors concerning leadership differ. While
Cook (2019) and Singphen et al. (2019) define strategic leadership and even use the concept in
their discussions of leadership, Perozzi (2019) does not. Therefore, reading the texts by Cook
(2019) and Singphen et al. (2019) may help a learner understand strategic leadership better than
reading the text by Perozzi (2019). However, even between Cook (2019) and Singphen et al.
(2019), the latter gives a clearer definition of the concept of strategic leadership than Cook.
According to Singphen et al. (2019), strategic leadership is a kind of leadership that involves the
leader thinking and making connections between the inside and the outside of the organization
and also thinks of the present and the future while making decisions. The leader also learns from
the past to make better decisions. The author also gives examples and factors that make up
strategic leadership. Singphen et al. (2019) also discuss the concept of strategic leadership in
more detail than the other authors and therefore make the most suitable definition of the concept.
The definition by Singphen et al. (2019) may apply in my work setting because it will direct me
on the various factors that have to be in place, such as creating strategies, evaluating and other
aspects that I may need in my work as I ascend to leadership positions.
In conclusion, strategic leadership is a type of leadership that is important for top-level
managers and executives. Therefore, strategic leadership is a type of leadership in which
individuals consider how factors within the organization and those that are from outside interact
to affect the running and the success of the organization. Strategic leadership also involves
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considering how long term and future changes may affect the success of the organization and
evaluating to make changes where necessary.
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References
Cook, B. W. (2019). Leadership Forward. International Journal of Global Business, 12(1), 1-6.
Perozzi, B. (2019). Leadership Development Through Transforming the Student Employment
Process. New directions for student leadership, 2019(162), 23-36.
Singphen, T., Poopayang, P., Siphai, S., & Charoensuk, P. (2019). Strategic Leadership Factors
of School Administrators Influencing the Effectiveness of Small-Sized
Schools. International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, 11(3),
20-28.
