Strategic Leadership Case Study: Steve Jobs

Student 1 Strategic leadership is an integral element that every leader should strive to possess as it influences employees to voluntarily make relevant decisions that can enhance organization’s long-term success, sustainable competitive advantage, and financial stability. With the changing dynamics of the business environment, it is of paramount importance for executives to strategically formulate, implement, and position their strategic leadership. According to Pagonis (2001), personal presence, profound expertise, empathy, cooperation, and collaboration are some of the core strategic leadership characteristics (Pagonis, 2001). Keith Creel, CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway resonates with these traits. Managing change in such a profit making

People did not believe Tim Cook possessed the necessary leadership qualities required for such a company at that time. But the tech powerhouse CEO has proven people otherwise through his strategic leadership. Tim Cook has embraced democratic leadership at the expense of Jobs’ autocratic style. Democratic leadership allows the decision making power to be shared within the group and each group member plays an equal role in the decision-making process (Shapiro & Stefkovich, 2016). As such, Apple employees have described him as a thoughtful and charismatic leader who not only focuses on products and fostering of business but also on employee relationships. This boost employees’ morale as they feel they are an integral part of the company, increases their performance, company productivity, and

It prevents disjointed corporate development and avoids piecemeal financial growth. It is essential in the decision-making process as it enhances partnership, coordination of operations, cultural diversity, and perpetual existence of the company (Short et al., 2013). During his tenure as the CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch incorporated appropriate strategic leadership that saw the value of the company rise by 4,000% in 2006. As a strategic thinker and management theorist, Welch’s ultimate goal was to lead, create a corporate vision and ensure that every employee feels passionate about his/her work. He believed in a winning corporate strategy model that helps leaders come up with great ideas that can excite, energize, and inspire employees at the expense of enervating, controlling, and depressing them. Welch articulated visions that led to GE employees executing them, he delegated little details to his subordinates and involved all employees in the decision-making process as he welcomed every great idea (CNBC, 2014). His strategic leadership restructured GE and the goal of SDF was to ensure every business unit and/or division scoops the first or second position in the world in its category. As such, GE’s operations focused on strategic circles by transforming employee attitudes, making them release emotional energy,