Qualities of an Effective Ethical Strategic Leader
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Qualities of an Effective Ethical Strategic Leader
Leaders pick the management methods that they think suit them and their subjects. Prior to settling on a particular leadership style, a leader should assess whether they have the needed qualities to perform effectively in the specific area. However, forcing oneself to act in a particular way may not yield the desired results, and could possible cause opposition or dissatisfaction from followers. An example of a leader is one who deploys the strategic approach. The analysis pays considerable attention to what makes an effective ethical strategic leader, and how the qualities impact on their leadership style. Specifically, the writing elaborates on qualities such as being passionate and committed, applying ethical theories, being honest, and having the capacity to work as a team. The paper incorporates biblical teachings on what makes an effective ethical strategic leader, thus offering more insight into what is expected of this leader, and what it takes to achieve impressive results. The descriptions in this analysis may help leaders who aspire to deploy the strategic leadership style, and are still exploring the most suitable forms to enhance their approach. However, those leaders who already have the capacity to act as required of effective ethical strategic leaders should consider the suggestions included herein and make necessary adjustments to improve their functions and relations with their subjects.
Describing a Strategic Leader
Strategic leadership implies a manager’s capacity to display a strategic vision for the firm, or part of the entity, and to inspire and persuade members or followers to embrace the vision. Strategic leadership can also be termed as using strategy to facilitate the handling and management of workers or any other subjects. It is the ability to influence members and to foster and implement organizational change. Strategic leaders form a reliable organizational structure, disseminate resources, and set the pace for achieving the vision (Jaleha & Machuki, 2018). Such leaders perform their duties in in ambiguous contexts on very tough issues that impact and are determined by incidences and entities external to their own (Asif & Basit 2020). The primary aspiration of a strategic leader is to achieve strategic growth and productivity. Another aspiration of strategic leadership is to create an environment where followers are able to forecast their desires in context of what they do. They encourage followers to follow their own ideas, aspirations, and techniques, as well as utilize incentives and rewards to encourage members or subjects to achieve more impressive outcome (Asif & Basit 2020). The leaders play fundamental roles in inventing new ideas that guide followers, and contribute significantly towards the formation of a perception that determines how subjects view certain ideas (Schoemaker et al., 2013). Strategic leaders also plan to help people realize their goals and objectives. As a way of ensuring that everything happens as expected, the leaders often have the capacity to predict and understand the work environment (Asif & Basit 2020). The administrators who use this style are objective in the way they explore ideas and focus on the broader and long-term goals as opposed to short-term aspirations. Nonetheless, to be an effective ethical strategy leader, one must have certain qualities that identify them as competent stewards.
Qualities
Passion and Dedication
Passion and dedication are key qualities of a strategic leader and those who excel in these areas are likely to achieve impressive results in their actions. Being enthusiastic as a leader will get followers excited because they can feel and see the dedication. However, it is also essential to be committed to the mix of strategic leadership features because passion alone cannot get the work completed. Dedication is the capacity to remain focused on what will make the team more prosperous (Papadopoulos et al. 2021). One simple technique to convey a leader’s commitment and passion is to serve by example. The dedication is the capacity to remain focused on what will make the group to excel. One effective manner to convey one’s passion and dedication is to serve by example. The leader expects their team to work very hard and give quality outcomes, so the most suitable way to act is to be part of them (Papadopoulos et al. 2021). Team motivation substantially improved when people see their leader working alongside them, dedicating the same level of energy or even more than others. When the leader demonstrates that work is being performed on every aspect of the firm, they prove their dedication and gain respect of their team as the leader. Passion makes the leader to be dedicated to their functions. It acts as the fuel that drives one to immerse themselves in their work and deliver outcomes (Papadopoulos et al. 2021). Compassion is what a leader extends to others and serves as the portrayal of being concerned and caring. Now, more than ever, it is essential for leaders to show compassion. It is a feature of having positive aspirations and true intentions for others (Papadopoulos et al. 2021). Compassion in leadership plays key roles in fostering connections between followers, as well as serves instrumental functions in bolstering collaboration, raising levels of trust, and improving loyalty.
Being able to Apply Ethical Theories and Concepts
Ethical strategic leaders understand the significance of applying various ethical theories and concepts that define what is good and acceptable. Such leaders value the directives of utilitarianism ethical theory, which differentiates right from wrong by looking at the outcomes. Utilitarianism, which is a form of consequentialism, implies that the most ethical decision is the one that will yield the most immense benefit for the majority of people (Chonko, n.a.). The theory is based on one’s capacity to predict the outcomes of a behavior or action (Chonko, n.a.). Ethical strategic leaders conduct their activities in accordance with the directives of act utilitarianism, which holds that someone does what is right without considering social limitations such as law or personal desires. Other than abiding by the provisions of utilitarianism, ethical strategic leaders abide by the directives of deontology, which emphasizes the need adhere to personal obligations and responsibilities when having to make decisions in scenarios where ethics take center stage (Chonko, n.a.). This implies that a person will abide by their obligations to another society or individual because upholding one’s responsibility is what is deemed ethically appropriate. For example, an ethical strategic leader will always uphold their promises to friends and will abide by the law. In addition, a leader who follows the deontological theory will make very consistent choices because they will be dependent on a person’s set of obligations. Moreover, ethical strategic leaders acknowledge the significance of following ethical theories based on rights, which is equally essential in determining good from bad. In rights theory, the rights formed by a society are safeguarded and offered the highest priority. Rights are deemed to be ethically precise and valid because a large group of people accept and follow them. Hence, having the ability to apply the various ethical theories is a crucial requirement and quality for effective ethical strategic leaders.
Biblical teachings support ethical leadership and strategic leaders who follow the directives have a better chance of performing well and winning the hearts of their followers. According to Proverbs 3:27, Christians are directed not to withhold good deeds from those to whom they deserve, when one has the power to do that. Handling others justly and fairly is also a feature of ethical leadership. Proverbs 21:3 further directs that “To do justice and righteousness is more agreeable to the Lord that offering a sacrifice” (Holy Bible). The Bible in Proverbs 3:5-6 direct Christians to seek guidance from God every time they have to make a decision (Holy Bible). The Bible encourages Christians to have trust in the Lord with all their heart, and not to depend on their own understanding when making key decisions that are ethical in nature.
Honesty
Honesty is a critical quality for strategic leaders that determine how they relate with their subjects. In many aspects, Karthikeyan (2017) argues, strategic leadership commences with honesty. Being forthright about one’s strengths, weaknesses, and reasons for selecting particular goals and strategies over others will offer immense respect to the team. Being honest in all their dealings serves as a suitable way for building trust within the group. However, it is worth mentioning that being honest is not an easy task because it requires engagement with both what is appropriate and inappropriate. Honesty is not about being popular, but rather about being integral. Being a truthful strategic leader also includes being honest in others (Karthikeyan, 2017). Strategic leaders, predominantly in areas such as not-for-profits, health organizations, and metropolises are under substantial stress to display transparency. All frontrunners, but mainly those who relate to the strategic leadership style, are apparent about their results, development, and tactics. When leaders are clear and authentic, it is much easier to get everybody along and earn the trust of subjects and the public when trying to achieve the set tactical aspirations. When followers trust the leader, it enhances dedication to team objectives. Communication intensifies, and ideas move freely, productivity and creativity. Perhaps, most essentially, in the hands of a trusted and honest strategic leader, followers are more confident with change and more dedicated to adopt new practices and vision.
Christian teachings support the need to be honest when serving as a leader. In Philippians 2:3-4, the Bible urges leaders to uplift others and hear the wishes of their constituents. The verse informs that nothing should happen through conceit or selfish desires, but in lowliness of the mind allow each esteem others more effectively than himself (Leadership Geeks, 2022). The Bible verse in this scenario presents two ideas and moral lessons – the need to be selfless and be transparent in one’s dealings. The Bible is even more pronounced in Matthew 24:45-47 where Holy Book informs that “A sensible and faithful servant is one to whom their leader can give the task of handling his other obligations and feed those who need food. If upon returning the master finds that what the servant has done is impressive, they will get a price as appreciation” (Leadership Geeks, 2022). The reward in this instance is the power the servant gains to servant gains to dominate over the area. Based on these biblical teachings, it is evident a Christian effective strategic leader will try to be honest in all their dealings.
Collaboration and Teamwork
Strategic leaders value collaboration and teamwork because this impacts how they perform their duties. Having a cooperative tactic to management according to Abuzid and Abbas (2017) is vital and influential because this certainly forms transparency. Hitt et al. (2016) further write that when a leader is linked to followers and are truthfully involved in joining them, it is likely to know what and how they reason and vice versa. In addition, strategic leaders value collaboration because the approach encourages trust, and increases the likelihood for the team to support and contribute towards meeting the target goals and objectives. Strategic leaders know how to improve collaboration among team members. One effective methodology to form teamwork as it occurs with various strategic leaders is to establish some small programs and let others take responsibility (Fapihunda, 2013). The managers in this case serve the function of a participant during a noteworthy share of the introduced venture rather than presenting themselves as leaders. The stewards can show colleagues that they admire their methods and opinions, and from here they can commence executing this with more strong and bigger undertakings (Hitt et al., 2016). Another way strategic leaders are using collaboration is that they motivate members and give credit where it is due.
The Bible is clear about the need to collaborate with others when serving as a leader. For instance, the Bible informs in 1 Corinthian 1:10 about Jesus’ teachings on collaboration. It reads “Now I urge you, brethren, by the name of the Lord that all of you shall speak the same things and have agreeing thoughts, and there should be no wrangles among members, but you should be adequately and perfectly joined as one in the same judgment and mind” (Holy Bible). Based on the biblical teaching, it is apparent that God appreciates and is happy when leaders engage their subjects and consider them as part of the decision-making team rather than secluding them and seeing them as being less influential.
Application
Strategic leaders should gauge their practice with the information presented here to determine whether they need to make some adjustments to their present approach. The analysis shows that other than abiding by the key features of the leadership style, it is important to align one’s operations with biblical teachings that give much information that may help strategic leaders to become more effective and ethical in their judgment. The insight presented in this analysis is important and could impact on how strategic leaders conduct themselves, but still it is crucial to pay more attention to elements that would make the leaders more competent in the way they perform their operations. A suitable way to advance in this area is to conduct more research with the aim of finding new helpful content and ideas.
Conclusion
Strategic leaders who are effective and ethical display certain qualities that reflect their leadership style. A strategic leader is passionate and committed to their work, a practice that allows them to win the trust of their followers while urging them to participate in activities that require their attention. Based on the nature of the leadership style and its aspirations, a steward who performs well and who is likely to engage their followers and win their trust is one who is able to apply various ethical theories in their operations. Typically, strategic leaders rely on ethical theories such as utilitarianism, deontology, and rights theory that all define what is good and acceptable. Strategic leaders take time to understand how the various frameworks work, and take measures to apply them in their daily operations. The Bible supports leaders who are ethical in their approach and encourages team leaders to do what is right and likely to please others in the correct manner. The analysis identifies honesty as another quality of an effective ethical strategic leader. An honest leader wins the trust of their colleagues and is likely to get everyone on board. Biblical teachings support ethical actions as a leader, and encourage those who guide others to be as truthful in their actions as possible. In addition, an effective strategic leader gets everyone on board by promoting teamwork, which is also advocated for in the Bible. Whereas most effective ethical strategic leaders already display some of the qualities, those who aspire to become more competent in the way they serve can borrow some lessons from this analysis to improve how they serve. Nonetheless, it would be essential to perform additional research to acquire more insight into what makes an effective strategic leader more ethical in their practice and who can foster the achievement of targeted results. Paying considerable attention to this area will improve relations between all parties, and will increase the chances of witnessing impressive outcomes.
References
Abuzid, H, & Abbas, M. (2017). Impact of teamwork effectiveness on organizational performance vis-a-vis role of organizational support and team leader’s readiness. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 12(8), 2229-2237. https://www.bu.edu.eg/portal/uploads/Citations/1523461243.pdf
Asif, A., & Basit, A. (2020). Exploring strategic leadership in organizations: A literature review’, Governance and Management Review, 5(2), 211-230. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346953154_Exploring_Strategic_Leadership_in_Organizations_A_Literature_Review
Chonko, L. (n.a.). Ethical theories. https://www.dsef.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/EthicalTheories.pdf
Fapihunda, T. (2013). Towards effective team building in the workplace. International Journal of Education and Research, 1(4), 1-12. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258344173_Towards_Effective_Team_Building_in_the_Workplace
Hitt, M., Ireland, D., & Hoskisson, R. (2016). Strategic management: Competitiveness and globalization. Boston: M.A: Cengage Learning. ISBN-10 : 1305502205
Holy Bible. https://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/The-Holy-Bible-King-James-Version.pdf
Jaleha, A., & Machuki, V. (2018). Strategic leadership and organizational performance: A critical review of literature. European Scientific Journal, 14(35), 124-149. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/328026478.pdf
Karthikeyan, K. (2017). A meta analytical study on leadership integrity: A leadership ethics perspective. International Journal of Management, IT & Engineering, 7(4), 240-263. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332934035_A_Meta_Analytical_Study_on_Leadership_Integrity_A_leadership_Ethics_Perspective
Leadership Geeks. (2022). 61 Bible verses about leadership. https://www.leadershipgeeks.com/bible-verses-about-leadership/
Schoemaker, P., Krupp, S., & Howland, S. (2013). Strategic leadership: The essential skills. https://hbr.org/2013/01/strategic-leadership-the-esssential-skills