Slides from the live online lecture "Strategy for the Top". This was a trial lecture for the online Crowdale course "Strategy for the Top". http://www.crowdale.com/courses/strategy-for-the-top/

1. Strategy
for
the
Top

2. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Strategy For The Top
Prof. dr. Bob de Wit
Professor of Strategic Leadership, Nyenrode Business University
Director, Strategy Works / Strategy Academy

3. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Bob de Wit
§ Professor of Strategic Leadership, Nyenrode Business University
§ Honorary Professor Maastricht School of Management
§ Director, Strategy Works / Strategy Academy
§ MA in psychology, MSc & PhD in Management Sciences
§ Journal of Change Management Editorial Advisory Board Member
§ Strategic Management Society Best Paper Review Committee
§ Former Chairman, VSB (Dutch Society of Strategic Management)
§ Co-author Strategy Process Content, Context & Strategy Synthesis
§ Born and raised in Rotterdam
§ Teaching experience in 44 countries
§ Married, one daughter
Page © Strategy Academy

4. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Flagship publications
“The authors carefully guide the
readers through the many, often
conflicting, perspectives in the field
of strategy, in order to help them
become critical and creative
strategic thinkers”.
Page © Strategy Academy

5. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Next Level of Leadership
§ Higher expectations and pressure on improved results;
§ Higher levels of complexity and ambiguity;
§ Increased information overload;
§ Incompatible and even contradicting information;
§ And a variety of opinions and perspectives…..
…require effective leadership and leaders who stretch
their ‘glass ceilings of leadership’ on permanent basis
Page © Strategy Academy

6. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Key Learnings
After this lecture you will:
Ø Know what the important barrier is to reach the top;
Ø Understand what it takes to stretch your own glass ceiling;
Ø Be able to decide whether you are willing to reach your next level;
Ø Order the series of Crowdale lectures (we hope)
Page © Strategy Academy

7. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Key Question to Reach the Top
WHAT CREATES THE GLASS CEILING OF LEADERSHIP?
Page © Strategy Academy

9. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
From ‘my perspective’ to ‘bridging’
Great leaders:
‘Great’ leaders have the ability and
Generative
capabilities to bridge differences of Reasoning
opinion, preference and interests at a Perspective
higher level’ (Collins & Porras)
21ST Century leaders
‘This goes beyond professional
competence. It relates to personal
development objectives and
ambitions’ (Trompenaars & Hampden-
Turner)
Strategic Leaders: Rational
Reasoning
Perspective
‘Strategic leaders have the ability and
capabilities to apply ‘great’ leadership
principles on strategic issues and
tensions’ (De Wit & Meyer)
Page © Strategy Academy

10. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
At the top, issues are paradoxes, not puzzles
Engineering Politicizing
Economizing Strategizing
Page © Strategy Academy

11. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Poll Question
Do you think that the great leaders of today distinguish
themselves with others by being able to managing
tensions and paradoxes?
1. Yes
2. No
Page © Strategy Academy

12. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Example: Corporate Level Strategy Perspectives
Synergy:
Integrated
Multi-business companies must exploit Organization
synergies between businesses to Perspective
create competitive advantage.
S
Multi-country companies must exploit
y
global synergies to create competitive
n
advantage.
er
Responsiveness: g
y
Businesses must remain responsive to
market changes. Portfolio
Organization
Perspective
Businesses must remain responsive to Responsiveness
local differences
Page © Strategy Academy

13. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Strategic leaders take a dialectical approach
Presenting opposite perspectives frame the full
Range of ideas set of views that exist on the topic
The ´contrast function´ of opposite ideas is that
Points of contention it brings points of contention into sharper focus
The ´integrative function´ of presenting opposite
Stimulus for bridging ides is that it stimulates readers to seek a way
of getting the best of both worlds
The ´generative function´ of presenting
Stimulus for creativity opposite ideas is that it stimulates innovative
ideas
Page © Strategy Academy

14. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Poll Question
I am capable to reach the top
1. Yes
2. No
Page © Strategy Academy

15. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Key principles for leadership at the Top
Stretching your ‘glass ceiling of leadership’ means:
• Deciding it is worth giving up mental seatbelts
• Knowing yourself and accepting the way it is
• Overcoming your own perspective (opinion, interest, preference, etc)
• Understanding others’ perspectives (strengths, advantages)
• Embracing the differences (great you’re different, let’s explore)
• Developing capabilities to bridge differences and contradictions
Page © Strategy Academy

16. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Leaders Dealing with Strategic Tensions
Section Chapter Topic Strategy Tension
Strategic Thinking Logic Creativity
Strategy
Strategy Formation Deliberateness Emergence
Process
Strategic Change Revolution Evolution
Business Level Strategy Markets Resources
Strategy
Corporate Level Strategy Responsiveness Synergy
Content
Network Level Strategy Competition Cooperation
Industry Context Compliance Choice
Strategy
Organizational Context Control Chaos
Context
International Context Globalization Localization
Purpose Organizational Purpose Profitability Responsibility
Page © Strategy Academy

17. CROWDALE
Leading In Online Executive Education
Strategists Dealing with Leadership Tensions
Section Chapter Topic Leadership Tension
Strategic Goals Ambition Realism
Strategic
Strategy Continuity Exploitation Exploration
Organizational Composition Unity Diversity
Organizational
Org. Decision-making Direction Participation
Interpersonal Control Tasks Conditions
Interpersonal
Interpersonal Influence Challenge Appreciation
Personal Competence Thought Action
Personal
Personal Malleability Authenticity Adaptation
Core Values Wealth Health
Purpose
Core Interests Self-actualization Service
Page © Strategy Academy

18. -­‐
Course
-­‐
Strategy
for
the
Top

19. Course
Strategy
for
the
Top
• Start:
20
november
/
5
weeks
• Audience:
C-­‐level,
partners,
business
owners,
entrepreneurs,
future
board
members
• 4x
live
webinars
20 november, 20.00-21.30 Key Strategic & Leadership Issues
27 november, 20.00-21.30 Perspectives on Corporate Strategy
11 december, 20.00-21.30 Improve Innovativeness
18 december, 20.00-21.30 Corporate Responsibility & Social Media
• Weekly
assignments
• Books
included
• Costs:
€
995,-­‐

20. About the book
Strategy: Process,
Content, Context
4th Edition
Bob de Wit and Ron Meyer
9781408019023

21. Thanks
for
your
ParJcipaJon!