The Art of Leadership in Modern Top Management: Key Skills and Strategies for Success

In today’s business landscape, effective leadership plays a critical role in the success of organizations. Nowhere is this more evident than in senior management positions, where leaders are tasked with guiding their teams and organizations towards achievement and growth. The art of leadership in today’s top management requires a unique set of skills and strategies that go beyond traditional management practices. In this article, we’ll look at some of the key skills and strategies for being successful in today’s dynamic business environment.

The application of the art of leadership is a reliable guarantee for improving the efficiency of enterprises, which contributes to increasing management flexibility, enriching the organizational form of enterprise management and promoting the overall development of the company and employees. Leaders must know how to effectively utilize people and the art of hiring employees, delineate power and responsibility, reduce internal friction in the team and engage the art of coordination, make decisions, bring people together, and let inspiration flow. Consider the ten qualities of a good strategic leader.

Communication. Without a doubt, being an effective communicator is the most important quality of a strategic leader. There may be a clear vision of what the company is trying to accomplish, but unless a leader can communicate the vision to his or her team or colleagues, those goals will be nearly impossible to realize. By developing the ability to clearly describe what you want to do and link it to your team, you will bring everyone’s efforts together. The team must be aligned and aligned with strategic goals and objectives in order to succeed. Communication also extends to practicing “softer skills” such as having an open-door policy or holding regular one-on-one meetings with team members.

Listening skills. It’s important to listen to what the team is saying. “Talking and hearing” are two sides of the same coin, and the best leaders are good at both. As Mark Twain said, “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening instead of speaking.” The skill of listening seems deceptively simple, but it can be difficult to pause in the middle of a busy workday to sit with an employee or tune in quietly on the sidelines of a strategic planning meeting. Employees need to know that their concerns and ideas are being heard – not only does this help boost morale, but it makes for a better organization because the leader gets input from the people on the front lines. A leader who practices the art of listening gains the knowledge needed to solve problems, improve products or services, and create a strong company culture.

Passion and commitment. Enthusiasm about a mission or project will get others excited because they will see and feel your dedication. Commitment is the ability to stay focused on what will make you successful. One easy way to express your passion and commitment is to lead by example. A leader expects his team to work hard and produce quality results, so he should roll up his sleeves and join them. Team motivation increases significantly when people see their boss working alongside them, putting in as much effort (or more) as everyone else.

Positivity. If a team is led and surrounded by happy and positive people, they will work harder and become happier themselves. A positive attitude can take many forms in the workplace, from providing snacks in the communal kitchen to keeping an upbeat tone in internal emails. Of course, there has to be a balance, but it is the leader’s responsibility to do what they can to create a positive and supportive atmosphere during the workday. Some leaders hold strategy review meetings and only focus on problems, i.e. the red and yellow items on their scorecard. You definitely want to be aware of challenges (since no good leader hides their head in the sand), but you should also take the time to recognize what fits well with your strategy and celebrate successes.

Innovation. Being a strong leader requires practicality and realism, but it’s equally important to have an eye for innovation and a vision for its implementation. The ability to adapt quickly to current business or economic conditions is a valuable skill to develop. If an idea or process is initially foreign, you should evaluate it and look at the benefits of implementing something new. Characteristics of a strategic leader include openness to change and flexible thinking because that is what gives him or her a competitive advantage.

Collaboration. A collaborative approach to leadership is very beneficial because it naturally creates transparency in an organization. Collaboration leads to trust, and the team is more likely to support the leadership vision. If a leader doesn’t get buy-in on the strategic plan they have created, they won’t be effective. People want to own what they help create. One way to improve teamwork is to create a few small projects and assign responsibility for them to other team members. Show your coworkers respect for their ideas and approaches.

Integrity. In many ways, strategic leadership starts with honesty. If a leader is forthright about his or her successes and failures, and justifies the advantages of certain strategies and goals over others, he or she will earn the respect of his or her team. Following the motto “honesty is the best policy” builds trust within the organization. Being an honest leader means being publicly transparent. Municipalities, non-profits, healthcare providers, and other similar organizations have the greatest need for transparency. All leaders, but especially those with regulatory compliance responsibilities, need to have a clear understanding of plans, progress, and results. When a leader is honest and transparent, it will be easier for him or her to find common ground and gain the trust of employees and the community while achieving strategic goals.

Diplomacy. Honesty is always the best policy, but strategic leadership often requires tact and politeness. Diplomacy is an acquired skill that helps leaders effectively manage conflict using negotiation. It requires a dispassionate strategic approach to problem solving. As defined by Henry Kissinger, diplomacy is “the art of deterring force.” It is inevitable to face disagreements and competing priorities when planning and implementing strategy. Having different points of view ultimately strengthens an organization, but it’s a reality that can be difficult to deal with in the short term. What if the strategy team disagrees on how to measure customer profitability? How do you please two department heads who both want to take a key initiative? Strategic leadership is the ability to overcome these challenges and turn them into win-win situations whenever possible.

Empathy. Being empathetic does not mean being the organization’s in-house therapist. It means that a leader tries to understand their team’s problems by stepping into their shoes and looking at things from their perspective. Practicing empathy creates meaningful connections because leaders develop an understanding of the problems and needs of the team or department rather than sitting in an ivory tower. Beyond the interpersonal benefits, empathy is also a practical tool. When a leader understands what it takes to implement a strategy – skills, resources, projects, and more – he or she can set more realistic goals and timelines. For example, the product team may need a certain amount of time to properly test UX, or the sales team may need an updated CRM system to meet its revenue goals. Empathic leaders gain the respect of employees and are more likely to successfully implement the organization’s strategies because they know exactly what it takes to get the job done.

Humility. Humility is one of the most respected qualities of a strategic leader. Humble leaders admit their mistakes, apologize when necessary, and always share praise. This behavior makes them more “human” and outgoing. It’s also just good practice to encourage and reward others instead of acting like the smartest person in the room. 

Conclusion

To summarize, effective, good strategic leaders are strong communicators, active listeners, positive, innovative, collaborative, honest, diplomatic, empathetic, and humble.  How leadership skills manifest themselves depends on company culture and existing frameworks, as well as individual skills. For example, effective communication channels will look very different for a manager who works on-site with a team every day and a remote manager who checks in occasionally. You need to adapt your strategic leadership style to your role, company and work situation.

List of references:
Simon Sinek “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t”, 2014
Ray Dalio “Principles: Life and Work”, 2017
Patrick Lencioni “The Motive: Why So Many Leaders Abdicate Their Most Important Responsibilities”, 2020
Brené Brown, “Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts, 2018

Written by Konstantin Maloroshvilo, Expert in management, construction, and real estate, Founder of the iGorod chain of stores, and co-founder of Perspektiva 24.