Report on Developing Strategic Management and Leadership Skills

This report delves into the critical relationship between strategic management and leadership, exploring how leadership styles influence strategic decisions within organizations. It examines the link between strategic management and leadership, detailing the impact of various leadership styles on organizational strategy. The report analyzes different leadership theories, including trait theory and situational leadership, and their practical application. It discusses the importance of adapting leadership styles to different situations and provides methods for reviewing current leadership requirements and planning for future leadership development. The analysis includes a case study of Etisalat, illustrating the practical implications of leadership and strategic management principles in a real-world business context. The report concludes by outlining the development of leadership skills for specific requirements and assessing the effectiveness of the methods used in planning leadership development.

Developing Strategic Management and
Leadership Skills

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Link between strategic management and leadership.............................................................3
1.2 Impacts of management and leadership styles on strategic decisions...................................4
1.3 Adapting Leadership styles according to situations..............................................................5
LO2..................................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Impact that selected theories of management and leadership have on organisational
strategy.........................................................................................................................................6
2.2 Leadership strategy that supports organisational direction...................................................8
LO3................................................................................................................................................10
3.1 Methods to review current leadership requirements............................................................10
3.2 Plan for the development of future situations requiring leadership.....................................12
LO4................................................................................................................................................14
4.1 Plan the development of leadership skills for a specific requirement.................................14
4.2 Usefulness of methods used to plan the development of leadership skills..........................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION
Leadership can be defined as an act through which individuals are able to influence
thoughts and perception of those who are known as followers. In context of business leadership
becomes a way through which leaders and top management of company ensures that employees
employed in the organisation are working towards achievement of organisational goals and
objectives. The process to this starts from setting goals and objectives that are challenging and
develop actions and strategies through which organisation will be able to achieve these goals and
objectives. Actions when are directly linked with objectives, this is known as strategies
management in which strategies are adopted so that organisation is able to effectively achieve its
objectives. This creates a link between leadership and strategic management. This report will
discuss about leadership and its impact on strategic management and adoption of different
leadership style in different situation. Later impact of management and leadership theories on
organisational strategy will be discussed. The discussion will contextualise Etisalat (Emirates
Telecommunication Group Company PJSC). Founded in 1976 the telecommunication company
is headquartered at Abu Dhabi, UAE. The company severs an area that includes 17 countries in
Asia and Africa with its products Fixed Line, Mobile Telephony, Internet Services, and digital
Television.
LO1
1.1 Link between strategic management and leadership
Strategic Leadership and management are linked with each other and leaders and
managers of the Etisalat company work together to accomplish goals and objectives of the
company. Both has equal contribution in the different different situation at the workplace and
they also need support of each other in the managerial activities to make decision for the
company, and they also run decision-making process in which they make strategies to increase
performance of the company so Etisalat can take competitive advantages and show their
presence in the market where they are operating their business (Daud and Hanafi., 2018).
Taking a look at the interconnection

Leaders of the company mos important part of strategic management task because they
are having skills to bring every team members together. They make the vision for the company
an lead the employees to convert vision to the reality. Leaders may can be involved in
deciding what the ultimate goal of the company is, but they need t have proper strategies, so they
make proper strategies to achieve goals. While mangers of the company give the direction to
the employees and provide guidelines to complete the task which can help them to get better
result and they can achieve goals an objectives of the company.
Archiving the intended result
Strategic leadership and management can be through proper planing and execution of
the planning. A company cannot spend all of its time in the planning stage as it can lead to
paralysis by analysis. Simply doing things without any sense of direction can be just as bad, and
very will often lead an organisation going down the wrong road (Doyle and Brady., 2018).
Leaders give an idea of where the final destination ought to be, and strategic management
provides the resources and direction.
Flexible Matters
`In an every business have different different situation and circumstances take place.
Where leaders and managers of the company has to control the situation and play most
important role to make better and working environment. Leaders of the company use their
effective communication skills and mangers of the company run practices controlling the
situations at the workplace of the company and take decision to solve the problems at the
workplace. Both need to control the different situation in the company and both leadership and
management have equal role and make m]working environment at the workplace of Etisalat.
1.2 Impacts of management and leadership styles on strategic decisions
Leadership and management styles have huge impact on the decisions of the company
because leaders and mangers of the company top leaders, and they take strategic decision for
the Etisalat company to improve their performance and provide competitive advantages.
Managers ad leaders of the company should have leadership quality which they can bring by
using the leadership style (ERDAG and CAN., 2019). There are a good deals of leadership style
which helps to leaders employees and control the activities at the workplace of the company.
Superiors with the proper and accurate leadership style can have ability to take strategic
decision for the company. They know how to gain future opportunities and how their business

can achieve their goals and objectives to provide them competitive advantages. They find out
weakness and strength of the company to convert them into the opportunities for the Etisalat
company. After finding the weakness of the company they make strategies to convert them to
the opportunist, and they also use their strength to convert weakness into the opportunities.
Without having proper leadership style and management style company cannot take strategic
decision related the companies product and their performance. Leaders and manger skills
provide skills which can be used by the top superiors of the company to take strategic
decision and provide business objectives their business goals so company can show their
presence in the market (Daud and Hanafi., 2018). There are many leadreship style which can be
used by the leaders and manager of the Etisalat company to take strategic decision for their
business. Democratic leadership style will be the best for them. In this leadership style
leaders and employees take the decision for the company together, and they also take opinion
from them. They also give her responsibility to the employees who are doing well in their job,
so they can take higher place in the company in a future, and they can also understand their
responsibility in the Etisalat company.
1.3 Adapting Leadership styles according to situations
Leadership style is the way in which leader, leads the organisation this also include
autonomy that leaders provide to the members of the organisation. This also involves decision
making authority being provided to members of the organisation. Mainly styles of leadership are-
Autocratic Leadership
This style of leadership include that all decisions are taken by leader. Which style of leadership
involves that followers in employees organisation are required to do what leader says.
This style of leadership is suitable when leader is required to make crucial decisions and the
decision is required to made on spot (Basran and et.al., 2019). This is also suitable man leader is
the only person to have perfect knowledge of situationorwhen members are inexperienced and
not competent make certain decision.
Democratic Leadership

The style of leadership includes that leader is more likely to ask opinion and suggestion of the
members. Leader share information with employees specially when information is related to the
work.
This style is suitable when leaders are required to make a decision on the creative grounds and
members are also competent and experienced to provide qualitative suggestions. This is also
suitable when leader feels that employees need to be motivated and in situation when creativity
is promoted which style is best.
Authoritative Leadership
Which style of leadership is also known as visionary leadership. This style includes that leaders
make the way and set expectations from the employees.
This style of leadership is suitable when leaders are willing to achieve something and when they
help him close to see where the company is going and what members will achieve then there
complete the given task.
Laissez-Faire Leadership
This style of leadership involves least participation of leader in work and functioning of the
members (Khan and Nawaz, 2016). This style of allows members to decide the way a of
achieving their goals and objectives.
This style is most suitable man employees are competent and able to make decisions. This is the
leadership style which is adopted by leader in a situation that leader has complete trust in the
members and their capabilities.
Regarding Etisalat it can be said that generally democratic leadership style is employed in
organisation where employees are asked for their suggestion and opinion. Along with this
employees are government through rules and regulation of organisation

LO2
2.1 Impact that selected theories of management and leadership have on organisational strategy
There are several theories of leadership and management and leaders in business are
using different theories as per suitability of the organisation. Considerable element is that it is not
just business organisation that affects the leadership style along with business organisation
individual perception and orientation of leader also affects leadership style of leader. The
theories of leadership and their impact on organisational strategy is as follows-
Trait Theory of Leadership
This theory of leadership is based on the assumption that leaders are born, born with
certain traits of leadership and this is the reason that such individual possess correct quality traits
and are better suitable for leadership. This theory considers that these are certain traits that some
people are good leaders and some are not. On the basis of these trait organisations can compare
concerned with their likelihood of success or failure. These leadership traits are adaptability and
flexibility, assertiveness, capacity to motivate people, courage and resolution, creativity,
decisiveness, Eagerness to accept responsibility and some other traits. Regarding impact of the
traits theory on organisational strategy it can be said that strategies are employed and on the basis
of different traits strategies can be disseminated among employees (Lee, 2018). This is because
all candidates are not suitable for all activities and task in a strategy because strategy is set of
action. Actions are delegated on the basis of traits and suitability of individual on the basis of
that strategy (). For Example- A person with a good communication skill and confident
personality can be delegated a task of dealing with new customers as they will be more likely to
be successful in such task than anyone who has good technical knowledge that is not relevant
with sales activity. This is the reason that organisations look for certain qualities while hiring
employees for different roles in organisation. Success of strategy and activities involved is
directly linked with traits that are being possessed by the person
Situational Leadership Style
This is another theory of leadership in which leadership style is based on the competency
and willingness of the employee rather than organisational situation (Setiawan, Firdaus and
Putra, 2019). This theory outlines four styles of leadership that are based on competency and

commitment of employee and this also involve factors for leadership that are supportive
behaviour and directive behaviour. The four styles of leadership are-
Delegating Behaviour
This leadership style involves that directive behaviour is high and supportive behaviour is low.
Members in this type of leadership are also known as enthusiastic beginners who are highly
committed but lack competency.
Coaching Behaviour
This style of leadership involves high supportive and high directive behaviour in which members
have some competency and low commitment.
Supportive Behaviour
In this style of leadership there is high supportive behaviour and low low directive
behaviour because members are highly competent but their commitment is variable.
Delegating Behaviour
This style of leadership involves that supportive behaviour of leaders is low and directive
behaviour is low. Members in this leadership are highly committed and highly competency.
In this success of leadership and strategy implementation is highly related with
effectiveness of leadership (Walls, 2019). Situational leadership also have positive impact on the
motivation and performance of employees, because leaders adapt to flexible style of leadership.
In context of organisational strategy of Etisalat situation leadership make a significant impact on
the success of the strategy because in such situation that members have different level of
competency they are helped with suitable form of leadership. This ensures that they are able to
succeed in the activities and task that they are required to complete. In Etisalat situational
leadership when strategy is implemented leaders are required to adopt situational leadership so
that they are able to help all kind of members in successfully completing the task.

2.2 Leadership strategy that supports organisational direction
Participative leadership style of followed in Etisalat and this is effective because of the
balance it make in regulating employees as well as active participation of employees in the
organisation. This allows the benefit of knowledge and creativity of the employees. Concerned
with direction of the organisation Etisalat is moving towards realising its vision that is Drive the
Digital Future to Empower Societies (Baškarada, Watson and Cromarty, 2017). Etisalat is
moving in this direction and in order to realise their vision the strategy they have developed is
‘TARGET’ strategy to align the strategic direction of all operating companies so that Etisalat can
take full advantage of the growth opportunities that are available for Etisalat. ‘TARGET’ set out
priorities, area of focus of group, and direction for Etisalat, this can be elaborated as follows-
• To drive the digital future to empower societies
• Accelerate value generation through innovation and digitisation
• Raise capabilities and develop talent across the Group
• Grow B2B/digital across the footprint
• Expand portfolio in MENA and knowledge economies
• Transform operating companies into strongholds
In order to support this direction of Etisalat Transformational Leadership is most suitable for the
company. An already establish business and successful suggests that its leaders are capable to
adapt and transformational to Transformational Leadership Style. This leadership style is based
on four elements that are-
Intellectual Stimulation
This means that transformational leadership encourages creativity among followers
(Orabi, 2016). This means that members and followers in Etisalat will be encouraged by leaders
to encourage creativity.

This suggests that leaders in this style of leadership will require learning ways to
encourage members to find creative solutions to the problems. They can involve appreciation in
small achievements in creativity they will be able to encourage members.
Individualised Consideration
This means that leaders provide attention and task to people on the basis of their specific
capabilities. This means that leaders are required to offer support and encouragement on the
basis of individual member.
This requires that leaders in Etisalat identify and understand individual capability of the
members.
Inspirational Motivational
This element is concerned with vision and its articulation. This involves that leader in
transformational leadership style are able to articulate the vision to followers. Through the
articulation of vision leaders encourage and motivate members.
This requires leaders to develop competency and capability to effectively articulate the
vision to followers (Aij and Rapsaniotis, 2017). Leaders are also require to learn and develop
capability to thoughtfully answer all the queries of the members regarding vision.
Idealized Influence
This is one of the important element of transformational leadership that when leaders are
motivating the members they motivate and influence leaders by doing what they want members
to learn.
This requires strength and capability to be developed through which leaders can practice
what they preach this means what they ask members to do.

LO3
3.1 Methods to review current leadership requirements
In order to develop leadership individual firstly require to identify current leadership
requirements. Current leadership requirements in Etisalat on the basis of their goals and
directions leadership requirements of Etisalat is as follows-
Diversity Management
This has become important requirement of leadership in organisation (Lambert and
Bouchamma, 2019). Etisalat is a global organisation and this is the reason that its employees are
from different cultures which differ in their values and beliefs, this requires leadership at Etisalat
to have capability so that they can manage diversified workforce. This also requires that leaders
are capable of ensuring that they are able to get the best from the diversified workforce.
Managing Globalization
Leadership at Etisalat also requires that leaders are able to manage globalisation. This is because
the company is already operating at various countries and is an international organisation
requiring that leaders of the organisation are able to manage globalisation. They are also required
to identify opportunities they can utilise and identifying threats that requires company to be
prepared in advance. In this competitive environment successful operation of International
Organisation is become very difficult and leader of Etisalat required that company has all the
capabilities which allow it to successful function in international market.
Regulatory compliance
Regulatory compliances are other crucial part of business operation. Due to increasing legislation
and regulations Etisalat requires that leadership in the company is capable to adopt regulatory
compliance on time so that it can avoid all kind of legal issues. For Etisalat it has become more
crucial because regulations on telecommunication and Technology company are also increasing.
Customer and Quality Focus
It has become very important for leaders to have their focus on customer and their requirements
because Organisation in present business environment are customer centered (Sadq and et.al.,

2020). Focus on quality is equalled important because it is an international organisation and
quality is very important for success in international market. Focus of leader on customer and
quality will ensure that members of organisation and also focusing on customers and quality.
Advancing Technology
In a kind Etisalat also is a technology company and due to this leadership at Etisalat required to
be capable to identify and implement technological advancement in the company. Technology
advancement is not limited to offerings of customers but for internal operations of company it
required advanced technology and leadership should be able to identify requirements and prepare
organisation to adapt advanced technology.
Diversified Team
This is another leadership requirement and this requirement of leadership at Etisalat extends to
teams in the organisation (Kyengo, Ombui and Iravo, 2016). Team leaders of the organisation
are required to possess capabilities so that they are able to manage teams with diversifying
members.
E-Leadership
E-Leadership can be defined as leadership in new age which is known as leadership in
information age that is characterised by fast development of technology. For leadership at
Etisalat it is very important that leader is able to manage and fulfil E-leadership requirements.
This need can be justified by the cross border operations of the company and where they are
making profit. Leadership is required to be able to solve and fix problem that have been created
by information age. E-Leadership also aims to influence changes that have been created in
attitude, behaviours, thoughts and performance with groups and individuals and organisations to
achieve them a specific goal and objectives (Van Wart and et.al., 2019). It is a social influence
process, facilitated by technology.
These are leadership requirements and methods through which these requirements can identified
and analysed are-