Ten strategies to become strategic leaders every leader should know

When you rush life becomes blur. 

Have you heard of this quote?

This writing is about becoming a strategic leader.

Are you blur in upholding a value as a leader?

Every leader faces challenges in dealing with their followers.

Many succeeded in winning their follower's hearts, while not little had gone astray.

When we say 'leader', what comes to most people is a Boss in an organisation, a manager in a corporation,  a man (or a woman) wearing a coat with a tie carrying a briefcase, or somebody chairing a meeting and asking for feedback from their subordinates, or whateva!

In sum, a person who normally gives you orders and deadlines to meet.

But (pause).....don't you know that a real leader is YOU, yourself; YOU (and ME!) who are controlling your own intuition, mind and desire????

A father, managing his family, is a LEADER!

A mother, who is managing her kids, runnning household chores, is a LEADER!

Or if you're a teacher, having a group of students before your eyes in a classroom, is a LEADER!

So who is not, a leader?  Tell me.

A baby??? yesss, he is also a leader-in the making when thinking could be done clearly!

Everybody is a leader.

There are ten strategies to become a strategic leader. Not only good, but strategic.

Why strategic? 

Well, without a strategy, you are nobody.

You can't be a good leader, what more becoming an effective one???

According to Oxford (2020, online):

Strategy: 

1. a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim

2. the art of planning and directing overall military operations and movements in a war or battle.

Here are some tips that I gathered in order to become a strategic leader. 

But before I proceed any further, perhaps this quotation might inspire and tickle your mind.

A famous quotation I'm sure everybody is familiar with: In order to win the war, leaders should win the soldiers' hearts.

Ten strategies to become strategic leaders. These strategies are written in a form of "I can" or " I believe" statements.

1. I can inspire them.

A leader should inspire the followers. The skill of knowing where to inspire, is not gifted. It's an art that could and should be learnt.

Knowing the right moment you are needed by your followers to inspire them takes a process.

You must be there to inspire when you are supposed to be there.

When you're appoint as a leader, than that's the time that GOD has fated exactly you're supposed to be there to INSPIRE people.

How? 

Make them feel being appreciated, being honoured when they deserve to be honored.  

Though a small gesture (like thumbs up, smile, say thank you) is enough for them to feel your presence.

Make an effort to be the one who first greet your staff, workers, followers. 

Say " السلا م عليكم  "  , "Hi" , "Good Morning" or the like,  frequently while smiling and looking at their faces.

Be the first person who say "thank you" and "I'm sorry". Even though it's not your fault. People will surely respect you more.

The time? You know better than anyone else.

2. I'm a good listener, come talk to me.

Leader, they are destined to listen to people yet not being negatively influenced. You need to listen attentively and empathetically but remember, the decision has to be made wisely.

We maybe not able to solve their problems or worries, but by giving some space and rooms for them to be heard, you may potentially end up with getting trust from your people or followers.

Be a mediator when crisis pop-up.

Be a motivator when plans go astray

3. Let's work together with me, not work for me.

A leader may not know everything. 

We need to experiment with things together and build trust through teamwork.

Ford's stroy of failure-the then-an impetus for victory,  is worth a reflection.

https://www.intellectualventures.com/buzz/insights/failing-for-success-henry-a.-ford#:~:text=Henry%20Ford%20is%20one%20of,workers%20well%2Dpaid%20and%20loyal.

For Henry Ford, failure did not hinder innovation, but served as the impetus to hone his vision for a technology that would ultimately transform the world. 

After his twice failure, Ford met Alexander Malcomson, a coal magnate with a risk-taking spirit like Ford. Malcomson gave Ford full control over his production, and the company introduced the Model A in 1904.

How important for having someone who trust in your work.  Hence, a,leader should trust that his followers can do their job well. Isspire them (strategy #1) timely.

4. I'm trustworthy, dependable.

Be a "sholder to cry on". 

Come to me and share your problems with me. 

I'm a shoulder to cry on. But you can't take advantage of me.

this is just an analogy for girls. But I guess, for a leader, the same thing should go with your followers.

We often heard, there's always a single guy who is always a 'problem' in an organisation. Why is that? 

Perhaps, this guy need a pat on his shoulder???

Just try to understand them. For instance, if you're a teacher, try to listen and understand your students. 

 

So very true.  

When your follower feels that they are alone, bieng abandoned, ignored, then they are exposed to several threats. For instance, syaithan will play his roles in whispering bad things to impart dirty and negative thinking. 

So very true.

5. I'm approachable, yet I'm firm.

Who does this is a loser. 

Leaders are often associated with power. and power normally creates distance. But how can someone be a leader while bridging the gap between him and his power????

It's an art--- a learnable art.

Extend warmth to people around you. You will lose nothing.

Build trust through good rapport. 

6. I'm there whenever you need me.

This is quite sarcastic. But very true indeed. A leader must always come to the forefront to rectify things that go astray. letting your people solving issues on their own without your support, will bring down your credibility.

An effective leader is that 'right' people n the eyes of the follower.

7. I'm rational, I work on facts and only led by positive intuition.

You can come to me and tell me stories. I'm open to listen.

But when it's time to make decision, I seek Allah's guidance.

How many leaders do this? How many parents do this? How many teachers do this?

8.  I'm not judgmental, just prove that you are trustable.

Curiosity killed the cat. Or Malay proverb says "jaga tepi kain orang"

Is this what is meant by curiosity in this sense of strategic leadership?

Curisoty killed the cat means being inquisitive about other people's affairs may get you into trouble.

Unlike cats' curiosity, leaders should be curiosu of what is REALLY REALLY going on, before any decision is made.

This stance could avoid wrong judgment over a decision.
.

9. I communicate my ideas well! I think aloud. I visualise my thinking.

Most leaders when they plan about something,  they don't share their thought with their followers well.

They presume their followers can read what they want from their heads.

10.  I like feedback.  I don't like to push my will, I welcome dialogue.

Remember when your organisation receives soo many complaints from the clients? Or the time you receive soo many complaints from your followers or staff?

Were they really complaining??? Or they are 'providing feedback' on your actions in a way that you didn't like???

So you feel down, frustrated and you suddenly become defensive, allowing your ego to lead your actions and the decision you're about to  make.

Hey!!!

Without these complaints or feedback, you're out of focus and your day won't start  steadily, just like Ken Blenchards' words.

Ken Blenchards' word of wisdom is the key to understand this situation. Feedback is the breakfast of the champions. Meaning you need to celebrate these complaints and shift the 'complaint paradigm' to ' feedback paradigm' or even better to 'improvement paradigm'.

Bill Gate always welcome feedback for his Microsoft's improvement. Receiving feedback is part and parcel of a successful organisation.

Complaints are all feedback for improvement.

What are the criteria for effective feedback?

1. Feedback provider is credible

2. Feedback provider is trusted

3. Conveyed with good intentions

4. Timing  is appropriate

5. Interactively conducted

6. Clearly delivered- specific

7. Helpful

“get feedback, have regular meetings; leaders should focus on people’s needs and issues such as education; a leader must never push his will, but must involve followers in dialogue, must convince and if fails must follow the majority”. 

Conclusion

So, just pause, take stock.

Reflect on your strategies as leaders ypu've exercised thus far.

if these ten 'I can...' or 'I am..' statements appeal to you, you're paving your way to become a strategic leader.