"How do we get from here to there? I wouldn't start from here" almost always applies in leading the transformation of an organisation.
The challenge facing the leadership team is for the strategic leaders who focus on "there" and the operational leaders who focus on "here" to meet somewhere in between and create a roadmap that links the point of departure to the destination. This is never a straight line!
Below are our thoughts on the delicate dance of strategic and operational leadership;
1. The fact that design precedes build doesn't mean that the leader of the team should always be the strategist. Sometimes the issue is planning and execution in which case the most strategic thing the strategic leader can do is delegate!
2. Which is more effective a perfect strategy poorly planned and executed or an imperfect strategy brilliantly planned and executed? I think we know what Patton and Churchill would say!
3. The relationship between strategic leaders, operational leaders and functional leaders is sequential not hierarchical. Vision and values precede projects and programmes precede delivery and execution.
4. Strategic leaders focus on defining and refining the strategy; operational leaders focus primarily on building and monitoring the plan; functional leaders focus primarily on execution, efficiency and effectiveness.
5. A complete leadership team is made of strategic leaders, operational leaders and functional leaders. There area number of ways we can think about the distinction. Functional leaders primarily lead as coaches. Operational leaders tend to lead as coaches and mentors. Strategic leaders primarily lead as mentors.
6. Strategic leaders ask big questions. Who are we? Who do we want become? Where are we? Where do we want to go? How are we going to get there? Wise strategic leaders engage operational leaders in the process of answering these questions especially the how question.
