Strategic Leadership for Sustainable Personal and Organizational Success

Introduction

Leadership takes place at three levels—personal, team/organizational, and societal. Although the complexities of the capabilities required for leadership success increase as you move from the personal to the organizational and societal levels, it is the quality of the “self” (personal values, character and competences) that determines if a leader will succeed or not. In fact, most leadership failures occur at the personal level. For example, according to Scott Roberts of PinkNews,1 the CEO of a major oil and gas company lost his position because he lied about an inappropriate relationship he had with a male suitor. Also, according to Jennifer Peltz and Tom Hayes (AP),2 a former IMF CEO resigned because of a case of attempted rape. Moreover, CNN International3 stated that a former US president almost lost his position as the president of the United States of America because of his affair with an intern, which the president himself described as a “terrible moral error.”

These were reported cases of personal leadership failures. We learn from these and several other cases that leadership development starts from personal values development. Leadership is what you do to yourself first, before you do it with others. If the “self” qualities are deficient, then the leader suffers from personal leadership poverty, and he will be unsuccessful. He therefore needs mentoring, coaching, discipling, renewal, and/or other interventions to overcome his personal leadership poverty.

A review of biblical leaders and followers who succeeded or failed in their personal and organizational leadership responsibilities has revealed seven key characteristics that leaders who suffer from personal leadership poverty need to address to become successful. These are the lack of: (1) the true God, (2) physical and emotional health, (3) good character and integrity, (4) requisite competence, (5) good human relationships, (6) physical and spiritual security, and (7) financial stewardship. Assessing and developing leaders to overcome these potential deficiencies will enable them to exhibit righteous love, build trust and good relationships that are essential in building transformative organizations. In this book, the key elements of the personal leadership poverty framework and strategic leadership are elaborated with several examples that will help leaders and organizations overcome their leadership challenges and subsequently thrive.

The book starts with an overview of strategic leadership, which clarifies the essence of leadership, strategy, and management. This is followed by a discussion on personal leadership poverty, which elaborates the personal leadership framework and how leaders can improve their overall leadership capabilities and practices. The tenets of global leadership are encapsulated in the chapter titled “The Leader as Light.” The chapter on leadership theories and practices provides insight into leadership theories, concepts, and models that enhance leadership practices. The chapter on power and influence provides insight into types and sources of power, influence tactics, and how humans respond to the use of power and influence in leader-follower relationships.

The book emphasizes that it is difficult to solve complex problems, serve large numbers of customers, or develop societies without organizations, where people with diverse capabilities work to achieve common organizational purposes. Interestingly, the quality of an organization is determined by the quality of its people. Hence, leadership-followership development, succession planning and management are essential for organizational survival and growth.

In chapter 6, I discuss coaching, counseling, mentoring and discipling, which highlight the concepts of collaborative/facilitative leadership and provide some of the methods organizations can use to develop their leaders and followers.

Chapter 7 discusses organizational theories and practices, organizational design, organizational learning, creativity/innovation, and organizational trustworthiness, which provide insight into how organizations can be designed/re-configured and led to sustainably thrive.

Finally, the book ends with a discussion on personal and organizational renewal, which highlights how leaders can continuously renew themselves and their organizations to thrive even after they fail, fall, or suffer setbacks.

I pray that this book helps to improve your leadership capabilities and practices.

Dr. Mason Oghenejobo