The Strategy of Leadership is Thinking, Vision, and Planning - The Future Depends On It

Grammar speaks of events occurring in three plains.districts to create educational opportunities for racially
The past was, the future will happen, and we livedistinct schools by racially distinct administrators.
now, the present. However, operating in theOpposition to LB1024 was high before its passing, the
information age, the age of instant globalGovernor faced strong opposition for signing it, the
communication, makes the future now. Gates [1]Attorney General believes it is in violation of federal
wrote we are citizens of an information society. Helaw and unconstitutional and Omaha's most famous
noted that past generations, and past societies foundcitizen, Warren Buffet, expressed his strong
ways to gather information, get more work done,opposition.Senator Chambers is the only
increase life spans, and improve their standards ofAfrican-American state senator who is controversial
living. Time was not as critical in those past ages. Aand outspoken. Many of his claims include racially
message from a ruler may take months to arrive byprovocative statements against police, school
sea courier. The Pony Express was six days. Airmailadministrators, teachers, and fellow senators. By
was cross-country overnight. The time span betweencontrast, to Mayor Ryan, Senator Chambers does
thought and action are virtually unidentifiable today.not appear to have a vision based on strategic
Although leaders rely on collective knowledge sharing,thinking. Senator Chambers' term in the Unicameral
leaders who engage in strategic thinking, imaginingends in 2008 and he cannot run again because of
events as happening rather than will happen, allowsimposed term limits.Morgan [10] offers some thoughts
them to view the present as their personal andon social construction of reality. What he writes is
organizational future.This paper considers howpeople have images of themselves and these images
important strategic thinking is for leaders who wantunfold into their reality. Two leaders identified thus
to shape their future and the future of theirfar have diversely different views of reality. One
environment. Strategic thinking is the starting pointholds a vision of what can be for the city while the
for creating vision. Traditional planning gives way toother fights against change using deeply entrenched
flexible organizational structures that change "on theassumptions of the power of others to shape
fly."Strategy in past generations allowed leaders timeevents.Another person, a division head of a large First
for thinking, sensing a vision, clarifying the vision,Data Corporation region [11], offered some insight
articulating it to begin considering action plans.into strategic thinking and being visionary. In an
Accepting that the future is no longer an event toimpromptu interview, she held that having a focus on
happen later, this paper explores how leaders think,what is possible helped her rise within a company at
envision, articulate, and plan. How do leaders continuea time when it was having serious leadership troubles.
to use strategy to their advantage in a rapidlyWhen everyone else was seeking safety, she sought
changing global environment? The answer is in theinnovation-providing direction when it appeared there
age of possibilities [2]. Today, as never before wewas none. Her member services region is the
are free from traditional bonds of work, we are freewestern United States, Canada, and Mexico. She said,
to choose our futures as well as shape them to suit"I thrive on chaos. When things look the most
our own desires and needs.This age is an extensionconfused, I see my division diversified, flattened, with
of Gates' information society. We have the ability toempowered subordinate managers."Our dialogue
choose our reality in a way that never beforecontinued on chaos with Kim conceding she manages
existed. In the past, a baker's son became a baker.chaos within set organizational plans and policies. This
However, many leaders of the past came fromlead to her admission that she is more ordered in her
unexpected places. The Biblical King David was theexpectations and spends more time planning than
young son tending sheep (1 Samuel 16:11) and Jesusthinking and creating vision.Strategic PlanningHill and
was just the carpenter's son whose mother weJones [12] discuss strategic planning with the same
know (Matthew 13:55) [3]. Truman had leadershipcautions of Davis [13]. One concept of planning is
thrust upon him. These people saw a point on thedoing so under uncertainties. In life and business, the
horizon but events changes their vision. The age ofonly certain is uncertainty. Organizations cannot plan
possibilities allows us to rewrite our future as eventsfor the future because it is unpredictable. Another
dictate.Accepting that we can change as eventsconsideration is planning cannot be a top-management
dictate suggests that there is a less linear structure infunction alone. This "ivory tower" planning may result
this image and a more chaotic non-linear structure.in senior leaders thinking in a vacuum, being
Sanders [4] describes an organizational structure as aenthusiastic about a plan and having no operational
known initial condition but the future appears random.realities. Finally, strategic planning often suffers
Using the model of the "Lorenz Attractor," shebecause planners have a short-range view of the
presents a view of interacting and interrelated partscurrent environment missing the dynamics of the
that appear disorderly until a closer inspection revealscompetitive environment.Mintzberg, et al devotes a
the spiraling order hidden in the model. The Gates'section to "Planning's Unplanned Troubles." They
information society and the Taylor and Wacker ageexplain that planning establishes inflexibility. They
of possibilities do not depend on a linear progressionsupport the assertion presented above with the
of thought and action and Sanders holds thefallacy of predetermination. This fallacy says
non-linear nature of the new science of strategicorganizations are able to predict the direction of their
thinking allows us to understand natural order on itsenvironment, are able to exercise control over the
own terms.StrategyDoes strategy have someenvironment, "or simply to assume its stability."
mythical or mystical property? Leaders and leadership"Because analysis is not synthesis, strategic planning
use the word in many contexts, perhaps not reallyhas never been strategy making."Reverse course a
acknowledging what strategy is. Therefore, a simplelittle, planning is not a bad thing when used in cohort
working definition of strategy for this paper is thewith strategic thinking and visionary leadership. It is
deliberate means of attaining an outcome, beingapplying the controlling element strategy to planning
visionary.Mintzberg, et al [5] explains that strategiesthat causes problems. Morgan argues in favor of
inevitably have advantages and disadvantages. Theplans and planning when created in a visionary
advantage of setting direction is charting a course;framework that can evolve as circumstances change.
however, the disadvantage is narrowing vision, hidingWhat they insinuate in relating the tail of the
dangers. The advantage of focusing effort is"Strategic Termites" is unpredictability of
coordination of activity; however, the disadvantage isorganizational structure. An organization's leader does
groupthink. Having a definition of the organizationnot need a strategic plan to impose order. Order, like
provides understanding of the organization; however,in a termite colony, emerges in an evolutionary way.
the definition may hide the complexity of thePlanning is not guided by plans rather by a sense of
supporting systems. Having a strategy that providesknow what the organization wants to ultimately
consistency establishes order in a way that reducesachieve. Ideas, action, and events occur separately
ambiguity; however, creative groups appear tobut self-organizing yet apparently disorganized groups
operate with little or no consistency.Strategy involvesof termites seize the opportunity to initiate
paradoxes as the above paragraph suggests. Onechange.The Future Depends On ItSeeing the future
paradox tells us the story of answers and questions,depends on foresight. Having a future view and
once you think you have all the answers, someonestrategically thinking of the future creates a new
changes all the questions. Taylor and Wacker stateparadigm, part of the paradoxes already discussed.
this paradox as, "The more you are right, the moreOne old paradigm suggests future thought as a
wrong you will be." This contradiction confuses theprediction and development of plans based on the
reader, if you are right, how can you be wrong?prediction. Making plans establishes policy necessary
How? The speed of knowledge accelerated beyondto reach the predicted future. When the predictions
our ability to absorb it in our traditional learningfail to materialize an organization scrambles to
pattern.Another paradox for visionary leadersrecover. Another paradigm is the invention of the
involves predicting the future. Leaders who arefuture. This means people both construe and become
successful predictors of the future act as agentsconstrained by the structures they enact and change
destabilizing the present. Taylor and Wacker explainthrough practice. Gaspar [7] refers to the work of
that today's realities and tomorrows expectationsMintzberg, et al, saying the old paradigms do not
collide. The allocation of resources between presentwork in future thinking organizations. She tells us we
and future "produce a massive future-based politicalmust integrate a strategy that includes patterns and
problem with huge consequences for theperspectives with planning and positioning.Take a
present."Strategy at WorkThe State of Nebraskaview of American companies 100 years ago. Of the
recently made National news with the passage oftop 12 companies 100 years ago, ten dealt in selling
LB1024 that, in effect, created segregated schoolcommodities. Today, of the top 12 U.S. companies,
sub-districts in Omaha. The bill was the Unicameral'sthree deal in commodities. The remaining nine
way to defeat intercity lawsuits claiming "One City -companies deal in services, manufacturing, and high
One School District." The City of Omaha annexedtechnology [14]. The only thing certain is change and
several small suburban communities to its west,business leaders must learn to cope with it in order
provides police, fire, and city services to theseto manage it. Coping with change and managing it
communities; however, the communities remainedmean businesses can profit from it. The future of
independent school districts.The City of Bellevuebusiness is knowledge driven. Countries must be
annexed several Sanitary Improvement Districtssmart, companies must be smart, and people must
(SID) to its west, provides police, fire and citybe smart.Countries, companies, and people must be
services to these incorporated SIDs. Previous mayorsequally smart at the same time. To win the future
and city councils of Bellevue and Papillion drewgame, each of the three must anticipate and adapt
arbitrary boarders marking the fringes of the twoto change in order to manage it effectively. Mayor
cities school districts in, what were then,Ryan admitted that government is slow to change.
unincorporated zones. Population growth attachedBy example, he cited the city council established a
itself close to Bellevue. Now, Bellevue's city limitssteering committee to investigate whether the city
extend beyond the school district boarders.needed to spend money for computers in the
Therefore, Bellevue claims "One City - One Schoolmayor's office. The city has a web presence but the
District."By passing this bill, Senator Chambers [6]city council did not adopt an intra- and inter-city email
acknowledged formal segregation of the districts.system until the steering committee received
LB1024 created two super-districts, one in Omaha,confirmation from surrounding cities of their system
and one in Bellevue. In Omaha, the super-district hasusage. The mayor is 72; by contrast, the average
three independent sub-districts. The independentage of the city council is about 63. Mayor Ryan
sub-districts have authority over teacher hiring,recognizes the value of technology and aggressively
measures of teacher/student success under federalseeks younger citizens to enter city government. He
No Child Left Behind, and administration of their ownhopes forward thinking younger people will drive the
budget. The super-district has academic authorityrisk adverse council toward active and aggressive risk
over the smaller sub-districts.The strongest supportermanagement.Senator Chambers is the longest serving
of the LB1024 is the State's strongest proponent ofSenator in the Nebraska Unicameral. He is 69 years
desegregation. Why did Senator Ernie Chambers ofold and suffered racial slurs and isolation from fellow
the State's 11th district support the bill? He claimedsenators when he took office. Slurs and threats,
the Omaha school district is already segregated.chalked on his capitol office door, remain and he
Segregation re-occurred with the end of bussing inconsiders these a badge. He does not appear on the
1999. Yet, no Omaha high school is more than 48senate floor in suit and tie. He wears blue jeans and
percent African American.Bellevue Mayor Jerry Ryansweat shirts in protest to conformity. However,
acknowledged the drain on city funds fighting toSenator Chambers seems to exist in an era when
redraw school district lines. The fight in Bellevue andracism and segregation were the norm. He rarely
Papillion is over federal dollars to schools with aseeks coalition with other senators preferring to be a
population of children of military families. Offutt Airvoice of defiance [15].These two leaders view the
Force Base is located near Bellevue and militaryfuture differently. While one hopes to achieve the
dependent children attend elementary and secondaryfuture by recruiting younger forward thinking people
schools in both cities. Redrawing district lines wouldinto the political system, the other remains rooted in
result in more federal money to the Bellevue Publicthe past. Neither manages the future proactively but
School District.Strategic Thinking and VisionReadingapproach the future based on present and past
the paragraphs above may leave the reader asking,experiences not through information seeking,
"What were they thinking?" Recall the paradox ofstrategic thinking, and visionary mental
predicting the future affects the present in adversemodeling.ConclusionThis paper discussed strategy,
ways, yet successful leaders operate as though thestrategic thinking and vision making, planning, and the
future is now.Another view is that nothing turns outfuture. These are not separate activities although the
exactly as expected. This may leave leaders in andiscussion presents them individually. By recognizing
action quandary: Strategic thinking in the midst ofthe Lorenz Attractor as a spiral of interacting parts
shifting paradigms servers to help organizationsof an organization, one can also find this model fits a
"identify, respond to, and influence changes in itsnon-linear process of thinking, vision, and planning.
environment."Strategic thinking allows leaders to thinkSeeing the future as an evolving present helps
in terms of opportunities to innovate and influenceleaders comprehend that rigid policies based on
their future and the future of their organization.formalized strategic plans inhibit response to
Strategic thinking aids in abandonment of policies andchange.Strategic thinking and vision creation suggests
procedures that are outdated, obsolete, orthat leaders continually test their mental model with
ineffective.Strategic thinking is having an awarenessnew thinking and questioning - progressively looping
of what has not yet taken shape, having foresight.thinking, vision, and new information into new thinking.
Foresight has a facet that is an individual ability andThis cycle process allows leaders to anticipate
behavior and it can be a process or activity indisruptions in the business cycle. Leaders who
business. On a macro level, foresight is a globalquestion themselves asking, "what if ..." know "what
practice. Note, reaching a macro level must pass fromif ..." These leaders are future seeking and
micro - individual, through mezzo - organizational, toorganizations employing these leaders are future
reach macro. Foresight starts with the individualseeking learning organizations prepared to change
leader seeing or sensing something betterbefore change occurs.This paper does not deny the
[7].Foresight is more than vision; it is visionary. Being avalue of planning as part of a strategic process.
visionary leader means being provocative andHowever, rigid planning that does not calculate the
questioning rather than seeing answers. Mintzberg, etshifting horizon of organizational development leaves
al (1998) calls upon visionary leaders to operate onthe company questioning, "What happened," rather
emotional and spiritual resources, values, aspirations,than "what's happening."Foresight allows for strategic
and commitment. Leaders need a mental image, buildmanagement, forecasting and positioning of an
a mental model of a desirable future state. Theorganization. The outcome from foresight in business
visionary state is as simple as a dream or complex asis the anticipated future becoming an inevitable
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would have more administrative control over theirCommunity College.