Idea 71: Seven functions of strategic leadership

If you wish to know a man, give him authority.

Bulgarian proverb

Leadership can be compared to light. Light can be refracted – as Newton demonstrated – into three primary colours: red, green and blue. If you put these three colours into the three circles model (in place of task, team and individual), the intersection triangle in the middle is light.

Using a prism, Newton was then able to refract light into the seven conventional colours of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. You can think of these colours as representing the seven main functions into which the generic role of leader breaks down.

Working from some first principles of organizations, the generic role of strategic leadership (or strategia) refracts into seven colours or functions, which are, in no order of importance:

• Giving direction for the organization as a whole.
• Strategic thinking and strategic planning.
• Making it happen.
• Relating the parts to the whole.
• Building key partnerships and other social relationships.
• Releasing the corporate spirit.
• Choosing and developing leaders for today and tomorrow.