LEADERSHIP STYLE
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However strategic plans are arrived at, only one person, the CEO, can ensure that energies and efforts throughout the organization are orchestrated to attain desired objectives. What the Chinese general and philosopher Sun-tzu said in 514 B.C. is still true today: “Weak leadership can wreck the soundest strategy; forceful execution of even a poor plan can often bring victory.” This section examines the key role of the CEO in shaping the organization for strategy implementation. Also discussed is the role of the strategic planner, whose activities also have a major impact on the organization and its attitude toward strategic change. Role of the CEO The CEO of a company is the chief strategist. He or she communicates the impor- tance of strategic planning to the organization. Personal commitment on the part of the CEO to the significance of planning must not only be highly visible—it must also be consistent with all other decisions that the CEO makes to influence the work of the organization. To be accepted within the organization, the strategic planning process needs the CEO’s support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

People accustomed to a short-term orientation may resist the strategic planning process, which requires different methods. But the CEO can set an example for them by adhering to the planning process. Essentially, the CEO is responsible for creating a corporate climate conducive to strategic planning. The CEO can also set a future perspective for the organization. One CEO remarked: My people cannot plan or work beyond the distance of my own vision. If I focus on next year, I’ll force them to become preoccupied with next year. If I can try to look five to ten years ahead, at least I’ll make it possible for the rest of the organization to raise their eyes off the ground immediately in front of them. The CEO should focus attention on the corporate purpose and approve strategic decisions accordingly. To perform these tasks well, the CEO should support the staff work and analysis upon which his or her decisions are based. Communications should flow downward from the CEO with respect to organizational goals and aspirations and the values of top management. Similarly, information about risks, results, plans, concepts, capabilities, competition, and the environment should flow upward. The CEO should avoid seeking false uniformity, trying to eliminate risk, trusting tradition, dominating discussion, and delegating strategy development.13 A CEO who does these things could inadvertently discourage strategy implementation