10 Principles Followed By The Best Strategic Leaders

10 Principles Followed By The Best Strategic Leaders

What is strategic leadership?

Strategic leadership is the art and science of guiding individuals and organisations towards decisions and actions that shape future success. Unlike day-to-day operational management, strategic leadership skills focus on the long-term vision and goals of a company. It involves aligning resources and cultivating the right skills across teams to fulfil that vision.

The best strategic leaders have core attributes like the ability to:

• Envision the future
• Lead people through change and embrace it
• Empower others to take ownership
• Make decisive choices after careful consideration
• Communicate purposefully to motivate and persuade others
• Stimulate innovation by thinking differently

Strategic leadership principles are not theoretical concepts but practical tools proven to drive organisational achievements and long-term success. Understanding them allows any leader to gain perspective and steer their company towards a default future.

Let’s look at 10 principles followed by the best strategic leaders.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategic leadership is about having a vision for where you want to go, being able to change course when needed, and getting people working together to make it happen. It means empowering your crew to think big and take smart risks.
  
• Awesome strategic leaders think ahead, make tough calls decisively, inspire and communicate clearly, and walk the talk. They encourage constant learning and don’t freak out over failures but see them as opportunities.
  
• Applying principles of visionary thinking, empowerment, relationship building, and accountability leads to amazing organisations that can handle anything. Building resilience is the name of the game.
  
• Interactive training with our coaching and feedback is clutch for levelling up strategic leadership skills. Lifelong learning is a must to become the best you can be.
  

What Is Strategic Leadership?

Strategic leadership is a leadership style that is all about the long game – setting up your organisation to thrive over the years ahead. It’s about being ready to change course when faced with challenges and aligning your people, efforts and resources to move forward.

Essentially, great strategic leadership requires:

• Having a vision to see where things are heading
  
• Strategic planning for all the what-ifs
  
• Communicating clearly to get everyone on the same page
  
• Motivating your crew to push past what they think is possible
  

Leaders need to get insight into the competition and where the market is going. With some forethought, they can get the organisation in the best position to jump on opportunities.

10 Principles Followed By The Best Strategic Leaders

1. Visionary Thinking

The top strategic leaders have a clear vision of the future that goes way beyond daily stuff. It’s one of the things leaders do every day.

They imagine different versions of what could happen down the road and set a direction that gets their people fired up. Visionary thinking is about seeing past the challenges right in front of you and focusing on the big goals ahead. It gives people purpose when the path is unclear.

A vision speaks to everyone in the organisation. It should reflect the core values and make a positive culture. Strategic leaders inspire by showing each person how they can help achieve future success. When the team feels part of something bigger than themselves, amazing things happen.

2. Effective Communication

Effective communication skills are very important for strategic leadership. Leaders have to clearly explain the vision, plans, and expectations to get everyone on the same page. They need to tailor how they communicate to motivate and influence an audience through:

• Presentations
  
• Written plans
  
• One-on-one chats
  
• Town halls
  
• Email and newsletters
  

Being real and transparent are some of the ways to build trust. Encouraging open dialogue creates a collaborative vibe. Strategic leaders interact genuinely and listen to feedback. They provide context around decisions to get people bought in.

Are you looking to level up your communication skills as a leader? Sign up for our training Communicate with Impact 5-Day Intensive!

3. Decisiveness

When things are always changing, strategic leaders need to make the right calls at the right time. They really think things through by getting viewpoints from different people, imagining how various scenarios could play out, and weighing the good and bad.

Once they’ve gotten enough input, strong leaders can make the tough calls quickly. They balance thinking carefully with taking action when needed. Strategic leaders are cool with changing course if new info comes up.

Being decisive builds confidence. Teams feel empowered when leaders make the hard choices and manage change. But leaders should explain why they made that call and get people on board.

4. Strategic Thinking

Leaders need to think big picture about challenges and which way to go. This means really understanding stuff like:

• Who you’re competing with
• Market trends
• New innovations that could change the game
• Chances to grow

Thinking strategically is about planning for different versions of the future. It’s balancing quick wins with long-term vision. Leaders have to question assumptions and spark discussion to develop the strategy.

It also requires knowing yourself. Leaders reflect on what they’re good at and where they need help. They build a diverse team of talented folks to fill in the gaps. Are you a strategic thinker?

If you’re having trouble making others see your visions, our Creative Strategic Thinking Course can help you improve your process of innovative thinking.

5. Adaptability and Flexibility

In an ever-changing business landscape, strategic leaders must become more resilient, adaptable and flexible. They are prepared to:

• Pivot strategies based on new information
• Embrace innovations that disrupt the status quo
• Abandon outdated assumptions and practices
• Manage unexpected crises skillfully

Adaptability allows companies to emerge stronger from uncertainty. Strategic leaders foster a culture of flexibility, creativity and continuous learning. They are not afraid to try new approaches and evolve.

6. Empowering Others

Strategic leaders cannot achieve success alone. They empower teams by:

• Mastering the art of delegation and delegating authority appropriately
• Fostering autonomy
• Promoting initiative
• Rewarding innovative thinking

Empowerment drives engagement and performance. It allows individuals to take ownership of work and contribute ideas. Strategic leaders provide direction, resources and support. However, they entrust teams to determine the best approach.

Empowerment creates a culture of accountability. Leaders must be willing to embrace failures as learning opportunities along the path to success.

7. Ethical Leadership and Integrity

Trust and respect are vital for strategic leadership. Leaders must exemplify ethics and integrity through:

• Leading by example
• Making principled choices
• Promoting transparency
• Admitting mistakes openly
• Aligning actions with company values

Strategic leaders uphold the highest standards even in difficult times. They understand that reputation and credibility enable long-term success. Ethical leadership fosters loyalty and commitment from stakeholders.

8. Continuous Learning and Development

The business landscape evolves rapidly. Strategic leaders must seek new knowledge continuously through:

• Formal training and education
• Mentorship programs
• Reading industry publications
• Attending conferences
• Networking with peers

They analyse their own strengths, weaknesses and blind spots. Self-improvement allows leaders to make wise decisions. It also shows stakeholders that development matters.

Continuous professional development and learning empower creativity and innovation. Leaders gain insights that help evolve organisational strategy over time. Knowledge is put into practice, not theory.

9. Building and Sustaining Relationships

Strategic leaders recognise that building successful work relationships drives success. They build rapport through:

• Authentic communication
• Valuing diverse perspectives
• Mentorship and coaching
• Resolving conflicts constructively

Relationships enhance collaboration, innovation and problem-solving. Leaders connect with stakeholders at all levels, from frontline employees to external partners. These connections become invaluable support systems during challenging times.

10. Focusing on Results and Accountability

Ultimately, strategic leadership must deliver tangible results continuously. Leaders hold themselves and team members accountable by:

• Setting clear, measurable goals
• Monitoring performance rigorously
• Linking incentives to outcomes
• Recognising achievement
• Providing constructive feedback

Accountability creates a culture of excellence. Strategic leaders balance ambitious results with psychological safety. They enable the organisation to fulfil commitments to all stakeholders.

How Impact Factory Can Help

Are you looking to improve your strategic leadership abilities and lead with excellence? Impact Factory offers specialised leadership skills training to help committed individuals like yourself apply the principles of strategic leadership in impactful ways.

Our training is unique for its use of live, interactive classes. These are not passive online courses but dynamic sessions where you join engaging learning experiences in person, online, or through a hybrid model. The hybrid option combines in-person attendance with the ability to participate via Zoom. This leverages Neat Bar – cameras that follow movement to create an immersive virtual environment.

The interactivity of our methods of delivery facilitates real-time collaboration, discussion, and coaching, which are essential for strategic leadership development. 

Now is the time to invest in elevating your abilities. Get in touch with our team and sign up for leadership training tailored to help you lead strategically and drive success.

FAQs

What are the 4 main types of strategic leadership?

The four main types are transformational, transactional, visionary, and adaptive leadership. Transformational leaders inspire teams to innovate and create change. Transactional leaders use rewards and consequences to motivate performance. Visionary leaders communicate a forward-looking vision. Adaptive leaders promote agility in the face of uncertainty.

What are the 5 key characteristics of strategic leaders?

Five key characteristics are:

1. Vision – Seeing future opportunities and challenges.
2. Learning mindset – Continuously developing new knowledge and skills.
3. Communication – Connecting with stakeholders through active listening, clarity, and transparency.
4. Motivation – Inspiring teams through purpose, empowerment, and recognition.
5. Adaptability – Adjusting strategy nimbly as circumstances evolve.

Why is strategic leadership so important for organisations?

Strategic leadership is essential for guiding companies through disruption and volatility. It aligns resources to drive sustainable growth rather than just reacting to daily pressures. Strategic leaders position organisations to capitalise on emerging opportunities and get ahead of threats. Their long-term perspective enables success.

What are the 6 P’s of strategic thinking?

The 6 P’s of strategic thinking are:

• Perspective – Foresight and vision
• Plan – Scenario planning
• Patterns – Trend analysis
• Possibilities – Creative ideas and innovation
• Priorities – Focus on vital goals
• Performance – Results and measurement

How can strategic leaders create a competitive advantage?

Strategic leaders cultivate agility, empower innovation, and build talent benches. This enables organisations to continuously evolve and lead markets. Strategic decisions made today open new doors that pay dividends over time. Leaders must balance short-term wins with moves that strengthen long-term positioning.

Related Articles:

Strategic thinking is a daily bread of strategic leaders. Are you looking to improve your skills? Follow these useful resources:

• Are You a Strategic Thinker? – First, it’s time for self-reflection. Do you think strategically?
• Strategic Thinking for Leadership Success – If you find out you have some gaps in your skills, you might want further guidance. Here’s all you need to know about how strategic thinking can help you succeed as a leader.
• Creative Strategic Thinking In-House Training – Are you looking for professional support? Our experienced trainers can help you and your team embrace creative, strategic thinking.