>Leading with Strategic Thinking
“This is a very practical book, highlighting how the best leaders and organizations gain strategic insight and then make change happen. In the armed forces we take both strategy and leadership very seriously – this book does justice to both topics.”
“Leading with Strategic Thinking is an important, new contribution to the practice of leadership. Defining the intersection between business strategy and strategic management reveals multiple paths to leadership development – at a point in time or over time. I applaud Aaron and BK for making leadership more accessible for all of us.”
“Through a powerful blend of diverse leadership examples and academic insights, Olson and Simerson provide a framework of leadership types that masterfully address the two competencies required of any successful leader: having strategic insight and driving strategic change.”
“Across industries, many leaders are encouraged to improve their strategic skills. Often, the path to skill enhancement is not clear. What I appreciate about this book is the tangible behaviors, real-life case studies and specific actions to address the strategic needs of a leader and an organization. I strongly recommend this book to anyone looking to grow in their strategic leadership.”
“Kudos to Olson and Simerson for giving us clear, compelling, and relevant approaches to strategic leadership, change, and implementation. Whether you are in the C-Suite or aspiring to get there, this book illustrates how strategic leaders can find the right way to adapt their approach. The examples, from established enterprises like Google and 3M, to entrepreneurial start-ups and even vast public sector transformations, make this a ‘must-read,’ whether you desire to lead a public company, a venture backed start-up, or an emerging not-for-profit. A great book that everyone on the team should read.”
“Great leadership is all about adjusting to new context. Aaron and BK provide us with a framework and insights to not only manage the disorientation of shifting context but to leverage it for better business results.”
Leading with Strategic Thinking
Four Ways Effective Leaders Gain Insight, Drive Change, and Get Results
Aaron K. Olson
B. Keith Simerson
Cover design and illustration: Wiley
Copyright © 2015 by Aaron K. Olson and B. Keith Simerson. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Olson, Aaron K., 1974-
Leading with strategic thinking: four ways effective leaders gain insight, drive change, and get results / Aaron K. Olson, B. Keith Simerson.
pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-118-96815-4 (hardback); ISBN 978-1-118-96816-1 (ePDF); ISBN 978-1-118-96817-8
1. Leadership. 2. Decision making. 3. Problem solving. I. Simerson, Byron K. II. Title.
HD57.7.O4327 2015
658.4′092–dc23
2015001987
DEDICATION
To Darlie, Jarrett, Brent, and Andrew, thank you for your continued encouragement and support and for teaching me the importance of personal and situational awareness. The boundless enthusiasm, passion, and zeal you bring to everything you do invigorate and energize me. To Kristin and Jessica, I find our conversations to be profoundly stimulating and exhilarating. To Alexander, I can already tell you are in for the time of your life!
To Jeanne, thank you for your wisdom, patience, and encouragement. You never cease to amaze me. To Grace and Habs, you help me see the world for the amazing thing that it is. To Mark and Doreen, thank you for teaching me the value of solving problems that matter.
FOREWORD
Disruptive change requires a new type of strategic leadership. While it is hard to define, we know what it looks like when we see it and when we don't. This book creates a new lexicon for this critical skill set and actionable ideas on how to develop a strategic perspective, apply adaptive thinking, and demonstrate courageous leadership.
A good example of the complex challenges we face is health care. It's clear that the traditional way of delivering health benefits – and health care – is broken. Costs continue to rise unabated, and the health of the population continues to decline. Nowhere is this more acute than in the United States. For the first time in decades, key stakeholders from employers, to insurance carriers, to health care providers, to government are all working on ways to fix a system that is ripe for fundamental change. In my recent discussions with literally hundreds of government leaders, CEOs in the health care industry, and senior executives at some of the world's largest employers, they are all trying to make sense of their role in an evolving health environment. They must rethink their definition of health and performance, reexamine the strength of