Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Impact of Leadership

Facilitation Session 16/01 FAQ - Leadership is not solely the responsibility of those who reside at the higher levels of the hierarchy. Instead, it’s an activity in which anyone who’s interested in the success of an organisation can take part.

Strategic leadership involves:

  • Defining the overall vision and mission of an organisation
  • Developing strategies, systems and structures to achieve the vision and mission
  • Creating both technical and social systems that are effectively integrated, and which address the needs of both customers and employees

Operational leadership involves:


  • Ensuring that organisational processes are effectively carried out on a day-to-day basis
  • Monitoring performance
  • Addressing constraints
  • Ensuring that employees understand what is to be done and are provided with the authority, knowledge and skills to do it

The culture that results from how work is carried out shapes the way members of an organization relate to each other and to the outside world. The levels of employee motivation and empowerment, and how conflict is resolved, both shape — and are a measure of — organisational cultures. Leadership must effectively manage these issues because they also affect organisational performance.