Leadership and Strategic Management

Abstract

This paper looks at the role of the Senior Leadership
Team (SLT) in strategy implementation and argues that
developing a successful business strategy for an organisation
involves the formulation and implementation of a sustainable
competitive approach as an integral component of its strategic
planning process. Starting with a concise analysis of what
constitutes strategic plan, the paper develops an argument
outlining the rationale behind the process and the need for
investing senior leadership time in producing and implementing
a viable strategic plan aimed at differentiating its products and
services from those of its competitors with a view to gaining
market advantage. The author uses established theoretical
models to explain the process of strategy formulation, evaluating
the pros and cons of each module. The originality of the paper’s
contents stems from the use of contemporary examples of good
practice to illuminate how the differing leadership styles may be
used to facilitate the implementation process and to gain staff
buy-in. It concludes that the ability of senior managers to
formulate and successfully implement viable strategic plans is
critical to their own professional success and that of the entire
organisation.