What Is Strategic Leadership? (With Examples)

The world needs leaders, but not all leaders fill the same role. Some are thought leaders, pushing the bounds of philosophy, while others are cultural leaders, propelling societies forward in art, music, and communication.

Still, others are operational leaders who ensure that processes and systems are functioning as they’re supposed to and that the people who are following them have everything they need to succeed. This type of leader is the one you’ll commonly find throughout any given company. They’re the managers, supervisors, and corporate chiefs.

Every business also needs at least one strategic leader. These leaders are at the bow of the ship, straining their eyes to catch a glimpse of what’s coming ahead to determine how they’re going to prepare for it.

In this article, you’ll find some of the qualities and characteristics that a good strategic leader has. Whether you aspire to be in a strategic leadership role in the future or are in one now, it’s always a good idea to find ways to grow and improve.

Characteristics of a Good Strategic Leader

1. Humility. Every other attribute on this list stems from humility. In order to be a good leader of any kind, it can’t be all about you and your personal goals or image, and as a strategic leader, you especially need to make sure you have the organization’s best interests at heart over your own.

   This requires acknowledging that you aren’t always right, and you need others to help you do your job well. It doesn’t mean putting yourself down or not using your natural gifts and abilities, but it does mean being open to others’ perspectives and expertise.

   Generally speaking, people tend to want to follow humble leaders because they trust that those leaders will do everything they can to do what’s best for them rather than to make a name for themselves.

2. Collaboration. Good strategic leaders need to know how to work with others productively. Sometimes that means sitting in a room and hashing out a plan as a group, and other times it means delegating tasks or responsibilities to those who have the most expertise in a particular area.

   Collaboration requires trusting your team. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever override them in a decision, but it does mean you should do everything in your power to work with them to make a decision or reach a goal instead of just doing it yourself.

   Not only is this best for your organization, but it’s also best for you as an individual since trying to control everything is one of the fastest ways to burn out.

   Letting your team know that you want to work with them also helps them feel more comfortable expressing their ideas and disagreeing with you, which is also good for the organization.

3. Decisiveness. As a strategic leader, you have to be able to make a decision when you need to. This doesn’t mean ignoring feedback or ideas from your teams; it just means that you have the guts and conviction to move in the direction that you believe is the best for the organization.

   Sometimes you’re able to sit down with your team and have a conversation about the decision, and other times you need to rely on all of your past conversations and knowledge and make a split-second choice.

   It also may mean that you make a decision, present it to your colleagues, and then work with them through their concerns to come up with a new decision that alleviates concerns and risks.

   Whatever the situation is, strategic leaders need to have solid, trustworthy methods for making decisions of all kinds. Sitting and doing nothing or changing your opinion and actions with every whim isn’t good for the organization, and it makes it difficult to convince others to follow you.

4. Curiosity. Successful people are always looking for new ways to think about the world, and successful strategic leaders are no different.

   You should be looking into new ideas, asking yourself and others “why?” instead of just taking things at face value and always peeking around the corner at what’s coming down the pipeline.

   Being curious also means that you genuinely want to understand someone else’s viewpoint. If someone shares an idea with you, instead of agreeing or disagreeing with them about it right away, continue to ask questions. A simple “tell me more about that” can go a long way in helping people feel free to speak up about the valuable information or insight they have.

5. Diligence. If you’re currently in a strategic leadership position, there’s a good chance you had to work hard to get it. Even so, it isn’t the time to rest on your laurels. You have to lead by example and work just as hard, if not harder than you did when you were still working your way up to this role.

   Since you’re in a position of leadership, you should be the first to sense danger and take action to protect the organization from it. You should also be actively seeking new opportunities while simultaneously ensuring all current efforts are running smoothly.

   Plus, the rest of the company is going to be much more willing to buy into a new idea or to work hard to make it happen if they see and trust that you’re putting in your own blood, sweat, and tears as well.

6. Unity. You can’t be an effective leader if your colleagues, subordinates, and stakeholders aren’t buying in on your message or vision.

   Part of leadership is knowing when to move forward even if some don’t agree with your decision, but in general, it’s a good idea to do what you can to get everyone on the same page.

   Often, all that’s required to do this is excellent, clear communication. If people can understand the why behind your opinions and actions, they’re much more likely to jump on that train with you.

   If they have unanswered questions or feel that you’re cagey about something, their alarm bells will likely go off, preventing them from being willing to fully commit to following you.

   Unifying your team also requires you to have them participate. Ask for feedback and hear them out when they give it. Be willing to adjust your trajectory as you encounter new information, and make sure your subordinates know that you value them.

7. Passion for learning. Having a passion for learning doesn’t just mean that you think schools are great institutions that need to be supported; it means that you know that you don’t know everything, that you have an insatiable desire for new information, and that you create a culture where reasonable failure is okay as long as it is learned from.

   This attitude will help you to continually improve your skillset and the company. It will also help you keep an open mind, truly listen to other people’s ideas and perspectives, and allow your employees and colleagues to innovate and take risks.

   The whole point of being a strategic leader is that you’re always looking for the changes your organization either needs to make or adapt to, and you can’t handle change well if you’re not searching for new information.

8. Challenging. No, not challenging like, “Deb from accounting can be challenging to work with.” Challenging as in always challenging yourself to be better, challenge the status quo, and challenge others to figure out better ways of doing something.

   As the strategic leader, you need to know how to get to the bottom of problems and successes so you can avoid or replicate them in the future, to be looking for new opportunities since you know that maintaining the status quo is not sustainable forever, and to invite discussion and questions.

   A good strategic leader knows that “Because that’s the way we’ve always done it” isn’t a sufficient answer and works for drilling down to the true answer.

9. Foresight. This may sound like a given for someone in a position that revolves around creating strategies for the future, but this is a skill that you have to have and keep improving on in order to be a good strategic leader.

   Having good foresight can be a natural talent or gift, but it takes work to develop it and requires a dedication to staying up-to-date on trends, keeping an eye on the news, and having a thumb on the pulse of your organization, all of which requires a significant amount of work.

   If you put in that effort and do have good foresight in the big things and the small things, though, you’ll be an invaluable asset.

10. Communication. Having good communication skills is a necessity for any leader. After all, you can’t expect anyone to follow you if they don’t know where you’re going.

    As a strategic leader, it’s generally best to over-communicate as much as possible. Whatever you can tell your colleagues and employees about your decision-making processes, policies, and even challenges you’re encountering, tell them.

    It’ll help you build trust with them since they’ll see that you aren’t trying to hide anything from them, and you’ll (hopefully) see how much more they can help you if you let them in on the situation. Plus, once people truly understand a change or decision, they’re more likely to buy into it.

11. Diplomacy. As a leader, you have to be okay with having people disagree with you, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t do everything you can to help conversations and relationships run smoothly.

    Being able to be diplomatic in meetings and discussions can take you a long way in your career. Again, that doesn’t mean you turn into a yes man, but it does mean that you know how to be respectful, defuse arguments, and avoid inciting further frustration.

    You could also call this skill tact, as much of it is simply being wise with your words.

12. Discipline. Being a good leader for the long term requires discipline. Your schedule will no doubt get busier and the demands on you greater, but it’s important to keep up the activities that got you where you are.

    That means managing your time well, working hard during the hours you’re at the office, setting clear boundaries, taking care of yourself, and making time for personal growth.

    If you don’t stay disciplined, you’ll either burn out or backslide into doing a less-than-stellar job. You also may lose the respect of those you’re leading if they see that you are careless with their time and yours.

    This doesn’t mean you have to be inflexible and harsh; it just means that you make time for the little tasks that make you better and that you rule your time instead of letting it rule you.

13. Passion. Whether you’re passionate about the organization’s mission, your job, or the people you’re leading, you need to have something driving you in your work.

    As a leader, your passion, or lack thereof, is contagious, so you need to make sure you care about a project or plan before you can expect anyone else to.

    If you’re struggling with being passionate about your work, try to rediscover what you loved about it in the first place or find a project that you are passionate about (that is also genuinely beneficial for the organization) to work on. Eventually, though, a total lack of passion for a long period of time might be an indication that it’s time for a career change.

Author

Abby McCain

Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.