Leading with Strategic Thinking: Four Ways Effective Leaders Gain Insight, Drive Change, and Get Results

by Aaron K. Olson, B. Keith Simerson

Be a more effective leader with strategic thinking Leading with Strategic Thinking reveals what effective leaders do differently. Eschewing the one-size-fits-all leadership model, this helpful guide outlines four general leadership types and demonstrates how each type achieves success – whether through personal vision, structured process, collaboration, or by empowering others. The authors identify the actions and skills that distinguish strategic leadership, drawn from interviews and focus groups with over three hundred leaders from around the world. Examples and case studies illustrate these concepts in action, and the provided reference materials steer readers toward more advanced information on this important topic. The disruptive forces of technology and globalization raise new challenges for leaders. This book is a manual that will help executives and aspiring leaders harness these forces and address the two central questions of strategic Becoming a strategic leader isn’t about mimicking an icon. The most effective leaders seize opportunity in a way that consciously integrates environmental requirements, stakeholder expectations, and personal ability. Leading with Strategic Thinking shows what these leaders do, and gives anyone the tools to be a more strategic leader.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Professional Development, Self Help, Management

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 13, 2015

About the author

Aaron Olson is an author, consultant and executive with over twenty years experience in the fields of leadership, strategy and human capital.

Aaron is currently Chief Talent Officer at Aon plc where he leads efforts to maximize the impact of its 66,000 colleagues around the world. Aaron also serves as an instructor at Northwestern University where he teaches graduate courses in organizational strategy and leadership.

Reviews

[Haley McMurphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

School lol

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olson and Simerson's four types of strategic leadership - visionary, directive, incubating, and collaborative - are at once intuitive and reaching. These types of leadership relate to and are meant to describe the ways the individual leader thinks strategically.

Linking strategic THINKING with strategic LEADING was a smart way to proceed with this book. It gives the reader insight into a side of strategic leading not often presented. In fact, I have found many books that struggle to differentiate strategic leading from any other type of leading. Olson and Simerson's book excels in that area. I would have liked to have read about how the authors situate their types of strategic leadership within the contexts of other popular theories/styles of leadership (e.g., transformational, authentic, charismatic, LMX, etc.). I also would have appreciated a connection between strategic thinking, leading, and strategy formulation.

Overall, this was a beneficial read, particularly for students of leadership or those interested in better understanding the strategy process.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

For me this was somewhere between a 2 and 3 star book. It read very much like a text book which is not what I gravitate to. I did not personally find the case studies to be overly helpful. Felt that about 3/4 of the book was describing the leadership styles, and the remainder on how you could grow your leadership abilities. Overall just a little dry for me. All that said, I think this would be of great use in MBA/business classes.

[Bobby Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was great finding a book on strategic thinking and leadership - where they meet and what you miss by thinking of them as separate. Having read about the two separately, this mashup made a few things click. For that reason alone I would recommend.

Note: I think you’d be a bit too surface level if you didn’t precede or follow-up this reading with a deeper dive into the leadership theories presented within and into readings on strategic thinking / processes.

[Matthew Bynum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers the four leadership styles very well, with a lot of stories. A little academic and dry in the writing, but if you can get through that there are a lot of valuable nuggets contained within.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read.

Gave me some new ideas about how I might use different leadership approaches in different situations. Nice use of case studies.

[Chelsea Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Required reading for school