The Nature and Dimensions of Strategic Leadership, Essay Example

This article by Davies and Davies (2010), start by giving the definition of strategy and strategic leadership. There should be a broad understanding of strategy while attempting to define a strategic leadership perspective. Strategic leaders can use ideas involving the setting of direction, broad organizational-wide perspective, template for short-term action, considerable organizational change and a three to five year perspective. These authors assert that strategic leadership concerns creating a vision and setting the school’s direction over the medium in the long term.

The article further describes the nature of strategic leadership that it is one that looks back, considers the present, and thinks through trying to envision success for an organization. A lot of information in the article dwells on the example of strategic leadership in schools. Davies (2010) argues that the role of strategic leaders involves the taking organizations from their present situations to improved and changed future state.

The theoretical relevance of the article to strategic roles portrayed in the author’s assertion of strategic leadership in the context. Theoretically, the article is relevant as it provides the theoretical aspects of envisioning and articulating as strategic processes. Again, the article brings about the methodological aspects of strategic leadership in the engagement, implementation and monitoring incorporated into the strategic process. The attributes of strategic leaders are that they are strategic thinkers, are values driven and strategic learners (Davies & Davies, 2010).

The article pertains to strategic leadership as it brings out insights, which assist leaders in the reflection of their strategic roles. It also shows strategic leaders how to do tasks involving exerting strategic influence, creating the vision and the school’s future direction and developing talents. Strategic leaders balance the operational and the strategic, delivering strategic action and defining strategic success measures. The focus of the article is on the understanding of the dimensions and the nature of strategic leadership.

The strength of this article research is that it is exhaustive paper, and thus it highly informs regarding strategic leadership. However, the article has used the example of a school extensively and, therefore, may not be applicable for other business organizations.

Reference

Brent, D. & Barbara, J. D. (2010). The Nature and Dimensions of Strategic Leadership. Vol. 38 (1). ISEA.