How Strategic Dialogue Strengthens Organizations
Being a leader is a balancing act because in addition to putting out fires, managing people, and running day-to-day processes, you also are analyzing ways to create value and develop new opportunities for growth. As someone who hopes to achieve a leadership role, you must begin to see yourself as a steward for sustainability and long-term success.
Many people rise to leadership based on their ability to do the work of the organization well. The downfall of many organizations can be attributed to those same people not developing skillfulness in strategic dialogue. A necessary part of an employee’s leadership growth is developing the ability to zoom out and see the operations, policies, strategic vision, and mission from a high level. They need to be able to effectively initiate strategic discussions in order to grow and sustain the organization.
Too often leaders and key managers are so focused on putting out fires or doing the work of the organization that discussions about finding and developing strategic opportunities are put on the back burner. The burden of strategic dialogue may then fall to the CEO, ED or Board.
But to be effective, strategic dialogue needs to be developed and driven by internal stakeholders, not just leadership. And the organization needs to not mistake formal strategic planning sessions for strategic thinking.
In order for it to be effective, strategic dialogue must be valued for the way that it shapes the culture of an organization. By teaching strategic dialogue skills, you are building an organization that will navigate change effectively, deal with challenges and adversity thoughtfully, and innovate in ways that support the mission.
A strategic thinker proactively identifies and initiates thoughtful discussions about opportunities, problems, successes, and processes through a lens that challenges conventional thinking and invites curious questions designed to inspire new strategies, approaches, and solutions.
The Pathway to Strategic Dialogue at the Leadership Level
The opportunity for strategic dialogue most often comes about because either a challenge (e.g. the COVID Pandemic or lack of funding) or a new opportunity (e.g. available funding to resolve a mission-related challenge) presents itself.
In a healthy organization, strategic dialogue can be initiated by any member of the leadership team.
Teams that depend on the leader to initiate strategic dialogues will miss opportunities, struggle through challenges, or not have the required. Initiatives will fall flat. This wastes time and energy while building resentment and dissatisfaction. Organizations must not solely rely on the leader to identify a situation, do an assessment, and come up with the solutions or strategies that the team will execute.
Cultivate your team to become strategic thinkers by practicing strategic dialogue regularly.
Strategic Thinkers …
help identify who is vital to leading the organization forward.
prepare the organization to weather changes and shifts that happen unexpectedly.
create a sustainability and succession net should key personnel depart.
engages all employees on a level that increases retention, accountability, ownership, and buy-in.
If you wonder how your organization or company will ever survive without the current leader in place making all the strategic decisions and carrying the vision forward, perhaps it is time for the Navigating Challenging Dialogue® Approach to Strategic Dialogue.
Set up a time to learn how Strategic Dialogue will strengthen your organization.