What Is Strategic Leadership?

Strategic leadership refers to the ability of a leader to express a strategic vision for an organization and to inspire and motivate others to bring it into being. This can also include using strategy when managing employees so that the leader can influence them to create lasting change. A strategic leader will create an organizational structure and allocate resources in line with their strategy and promote it even when external circumstances frustrate its realization.

The overall goal of a strategic leader is to improve productivity by creating an environment where employees align their interests with the organization’s needs. This is often achieved using an incentive system that motivates employees to perform better by rewarding results. A good leader in this context uses techniques such as inventiveness, planning and modifying perceptions to enable their employees to achieve their objectives and goals more quickly and efficiently.