Strategic Management and Leadership Skills: Marks & Spencer Report

This report examines the relationship between strategic management and leadership, focusing on the context of Marks & Spencer (M&S). It explores the impact of management and leadership styles on strategic decisions, evaluating how leadership styles can be adapted to different situations. The report reviews the influence of selected management and leadership theories on organizational theory, and proposes a leadership strategy to support organizational direction. It also analyzes current leadership requirements using appropriate methods, plans for future leadership situations, and develops a plan for the development of leadership skills for a specific requirement within the organization. The report discusses the link between strategic management and leadership, the impact of leadership styles on strategic decisions, and reviews leadership theories and their influence on the organization. The document concludes with recommendations for leadership skill development and strategic alignment within M&S.

Developing Strategic
management and leadership
skills

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Explain the link between strategic management and leadership ..........................................1
1.2 Analyse the impact of management and leadership styles on strategic decisions................2
1.3 Evaluate how leadership styles can be adapted in different situations.................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Review the impact that selected theories of management and leadership have on
organisational theory...................................................................................................................4
2.2 Create a leadership strategy that supports organisational direction......................................5
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................6
3.1 Use appropriate methods to review current leadership requirements...................................6
3.2 Plan for the development of future situations requiring leadership......................................8
TASK 4 ...........................................................................................................................................8
4.1 Plan the development of leadership skills for a specific requirement...................................8
4.2 Report on the usefulness of methods used to plan the development of leadership skills.....9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Strategic management is defined as the branch of management which is related to
development of strategic vision, setting out objectives, formulating and implementation of
strategies for introducing corrective measures and meeting strategic desires of an organisation.
This management is continuous planning, monitoring, controlling, analysing and assessing which
is required for meeting goals and objective of the company. The following report is based on the
company naming Marks and Spencer. This is a major British multinational retailer which has
headquarters in London. This company deals with selling of quality products, food, home
products and appliances (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). This company was founded in the year
1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. In this report, link between strategic management
and leadership, impact of management and leadership on strategic decisions and how leadership
style are applied in various organisational situation are discussed. Also this file explains impact
of leadership theories and management theories in Marks and Spencer and their leadership
strategy. This report discusses about appropriate methods to review current leadership
requirements and a Plan for the development of future situations requiring leadership. At last, a
Plan is made for the development of leadership skills for a specific requirement is described.
TASK 1
1.1 Explain the link between strategic management and leadership
Marks and Spencer is a MNC that deals in various countries of the world. Strategic
management of an organisation is defined as the planning and controlling of various operations
related to meet goals and objectives of the company. The strategic refers to systematic analysis
of factors which are related with consumers as well as rivals and company itself to give basis for
the rethinking current management practices (Blandford, 2012). Its main objective is to attain the
better alignment related to corporate policies as well as strategic priorities. In addition to this,
strategic management is about analysis of business position and where it want to be in the long
term. Leadership is the ability of managers and leaders to control and manage different
operations of the organisation. The strategic management is termed as process of setting
objectives and aims of the organisation, developing policies and plans for achieving goals and
objectives. This help management in allocating resources for implementing plans and
procedures. Strategic management is an ongoing process for organising big tasks of the company
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into several stages. The first step in the strategic management is strategy formulation that
includes identifying functions and purpose of the company. This is helpful in implementing
objectives and goals of the company.
(Source: Leadership, 2019)
On the other hand, leadership is defined as action of leading a group of individuals
which shares and communicates vision of the company. The strategic leadership refers to
potential of manager to express strategic vision for company or part of business and to motivate
the other employees to acquire vision (Blumenthal and et. al., 2012). Through developing the
effective aims and objectives, company can able to attain business objectives and success. In
context of Marks and Spencer it is advisable that leaders and managers of this company should
apply an effective leadership for improving the strategic management of the company.
Leadership is termed as connection between strategic management and target of it. This is related
with leadership of organisation that is used for achieving desired objectives and goals. There is a
link between strategic management and leadership of the leaders of Marks and Spencer.
Management and leadership both have the better skills that company should be possess of leader
with support of its personnel. Leader helps in provide the direction to team members. In addition
to manager will have the consistency as well as make group proposer after being developed. The
decisions of managers are based on ethics that each member constructed but the leaders decide
on the basis of institutions. When there is strong leadership and effective management in the
company then leaders can easily set a direction and allocate resources in an appropriate manner.
In this way managers and leaders of Marks and Spencer achieve goal and objectives in perfect
manner.
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Illustration 1: Leadership

1.2 Analyse the impact of management and leadership styles on strategic decisions
Management has strategies as well as plans and their plan is on implementation of
strategy ( Bryson, 2017). Leader maintain the human resource and direct staff members to
implement strategy with better performance in context to attain set business objectives. The main
objective of Marks and Spencer is to provide quality services and products to customers. This
can be done by increasing the level of performance of employees as well as leaders. It is the
responsibility of leaders to manage their employees effectively and make them achieve targets
and goals in specified time. All organisations perform operations by analysing, knowing, finding
and rising leadership. Leadership plays a dynamic role in forming effective teams that can help
in completing business tasks and activities in specified time. A valuable leadership is important
for providing effective benefits to the company. The leaders and managers of Marks and Spencer
obtain, develop and utilise organisational capital in an effective manner for carrying out best
products and facilities to customers. The management and leadership styles can affect strategic
decisions due to proper leadership style that is required while making effective business decision.
While making the strategic decision, if correct leadership style is not followed through leader
then the decisions will lead to be failure. So, it is necessary for Marks & Spencer to know that
which leadership style need to be used for taking effective strategic decision (Byrnes, 2014).
Collaboration with group members - The leaders of Marks and Spencer takes decision
for various departments and team present in the company. A good leader communicates with all
members of team and help them in achieving goals and objectives in an effective manner.
Empowerment – The managers of Marks and Spencer must concentrate on productivity
targets and achievement of goals. The power depends upon ability of leaders to achieve goals
and objectives of the company. Decision taking is a process of empowerment and leaders of
Marks and Spencer encourage their employees to work hard and motivate them to achieve goals
and objectives in given time (Crossan and et. al., 2013).
Knowledge skills – The leaders and managers of Marks and Spencer must have sufficient
knowledge for completing the tasks and activities of business. A skilled leader is more effective
in making better decisions for the company.
Faster changes - The participative style of leadership in Marks and Spencer provides
different departments as well as employees of the company to react faster to various challenges
of the company (Garavan, Carbery and Rock, 2012).
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1.3 Evaluate how leadership styles can be adapted in different situations
Leadership style refers to method of leader to providing better direction, executing the
plans and motivating people. It consists total pattern of implicit and explicit the actions which
performed through leader. In addition to this, it is a responsibility of leader to provide right
direction to staff so that they can perform in a better manner and focus on attain the specific
objectives within given time period (Goetsch and Davis, 2014). An intellectual capability of a
leader is helpful in conceptualize the solutions and acquire knowledge to perform job. The
conceptual abilities of a leader apply judgement, interpersonal tact, agility, domain knowledge
and many others. Leaders use different styles on the basis of situation in order to resolve the
issues in an effective manner. Under this, there are different leadership styles which can be
adopted in the various situations mention below:
Leading from the front- In this type, leader is on the top as performance is one that make the
difference at place. The leader in Marks & Spencer is effective and able to deal with the people
in a better manner. In this situation, transformational leadership style is better because people
follow those person which inspires them effectively. In this kind of leadership style, leader works
with a team to determine the require change, developing vision to guide change by inspiration
and also implementing change with committed members of group ( Head and Alford, 2015). It is
helpful in increase motivation. Job performance, morale of employees by variety of the
mechanism.
Decision making- It is related to taking the decisions concerned with organisation in an
effective manner. The better decisions are helpful in develop positive impact on the business
activities. In this situation, democratic leadership style is beneficial because leader includes the
team members in the process of decision making. Under this, everyone has an opportunity to
exchange ideas freely, participate and encourage the discussion. It helps in enhance motivation
level as well as productivity of business in signifiant manner (Hickman and Silva, 2018).
TASK 2
2.1 Review the impact that selected theories of management and leadership have on
organisational theory
An organisation adopts the different leadership and management theories to attain their
objectives. The leaders possess certain kind of skills that enable to follow any kind of theory in
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situation. In addition to this, process of decision making require to flexible enough to adopt any
environment since then outcome from it will have high affect on company and the impact can be
on aims, culture and strategy. In this, leadership refers to an ability of a person to motivate,
influence and enable the other people to give contribution towards effectiveness as well as
success of company. It is a process under which leader guides particular group of people to attain
common task for company and also develop skills (Ingram and et. al., 2015). There are some
management and leadership theories which Marks & Spencer use:
Behavioural theory- In this theory, leader has some additional qualities but has the better
reaching as well as observation experience. On the basis of their theory, behaviour of a leader
which makes different from other employees. The behaviour of a leader develops positive impact
on the business and it is according to situation.
For an example- In Marks & Spencer, employee does not come on time and doing this
repeatability, leader or manager will be ignore it first time but employee will behave in silent
mode through watching time of clock then also will look at him then manager has to noticed
negligence of employees and give warning fore next time (Johnston and Marshall, 2013).
(Source: Leadership Theories, 2018)
Transformational leadership theory- On the basis of this theory, people follow leaders
which inspire them. In this, people which has ability to be motivate and also introducing the
enthusiasm able to attain set targets then this leadership style help in learn and provide better
experience. In this type of leadership style, leader set vision for followers and also tell them
regarding target and strength. In addition to this, it states that leader should have ability to lead
team and know about the proper direction to get the clear vision (Mendenhall and et. al., 2012).
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Illustration 2: Leadership Theories

Situational theory- It works on the basis of assumption that mostly leadership styles
changes from situation to the situation. In order to make better leader, it is necessary to adopt this
style in the diverse circumstances. It develops the positive impact on organisational theory in
Marks & Spencer because in this leader use the style on the basis of arisen situation.
For an example- If there is a requirement to take decision quickly then leader will adopt
autocratic leadership style because it helps in make the decision on the basis of experience
(Nesbit, 2012).
2.2 Create a leadership strategy that supports organisational direction
Strategic leadership is explained as potential of a manager to express strategic vision for
company and motivate the other people to acquire that vision. It is related to utilizing strategy
ion management of staff members. Marks & Spencer require the leadership strategies to develop
the confidence for staff members and some of the other stakeholders. It will help in provide the
clear direction that company need to attain with in given period of time. In order to develop an
effective leadership strategy, there is a need to leader to understand the leadership culture art
workplace in a better manner. It will help in provide the clear direction in making the leadership
strategy effectively (Noe and et. al., 2017).
In addition to this, transformational leaders aid in acceptance of the organisational
change. It helps in encourage the leaders and motivate them to innovate and develop change that
will shape and grow future success of an organisation. They set the clear vision so that
employees of Marks & Spencer can not able to face any kind of complexities in attaining the
objectives within given time period. On the other hand, transactional leadership styles helps in
give the satisfaction as well as organisational identification. Both the strategies helpful in support
organisational directions in terms of reliability, adaption, efficiency, leadership etc. In this
leadership style, leader promote the compliance through followers by rewards and punishments
both. They are able to keep the employees motivate for short period of time. This kind of
leadership style based on self- motivated people which work in a well structured manner and
directed environment (Renz and Herman, 2016). In addition to this, there are different leadership
strategy that supports organisational direction mention below:
Efficiency- In Marks & Spencer, Transformational leadership applicable at generating as
well as distributing the information at unit levels. It is effective in developing and sharing the
knowledge at individual and the group level. On the other hand, transactional leadership is
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applicable at use of knowledge at organisational standard. It is effective in exploiting the
knowledge at organisational level.
Reliability- In this present time, online marketing is one of the effective way to selling
products and services to consumers. Through this, customers are able to purchase product
through online website of company without going to stores. It helps in time saving as well as cost
saving to consumers and they can able to purchase effectively (Royle and Laing, 2014).
TASK 3
3.1 Use appropriate methods to review current leadership requirements
A leader is that who leads and guided a team in an effective manner. It motivate team
members to attain the specific tasks within given period of time. For Marks & Spencer, review
leadership requirement is most necessary to perform business activities and attain set objectives.
Marks & Spencer is a large size organisation and it conduct its business operations at global
level. So, company face many different challenges and it is necessary to determine them for
better systematic review that revolve around systematic determination of the variable sources of
information and problems (Sadri, 2012). There are different methods to review the current
leadership needs mention below:
Positive communication- The better communication is helpful for team members of
Marks & Spencer to understand an individual in an effective manner. It helps in identify the
differences, develop trust and also respect. The better communication is helpful in develop
positive relationship among leader and team members. Through thus, team members will think
innovative ideas and find better way to performing activities. Positive communication helps in
develop create ideas, affection, solve issues, enhance motivation etc.
Listening skills- Under this, listening is one of the most necessary aspect of better
communication that is done in Marks & Spencer. It helps in make speaker to feel healthy and
also understand to develop strong connection among top management and staff members. It
helps in develop an environment where each person feels safe and confident to feel opinions,
feeling, plan or ideas in significant manner (Schleicher, 2012).
Time management- It aids an organisation to plan and also exercise control over time
spent of particular activities. It will help in enhance productivity, efficiency and effectiveness.
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Through this, wastage of time will be reduced and employees will perform their work within set
time period.
360o feedback- This method is recognized one of the practical method in terms of
evaluating the performance and actions of individual in an organization. It helps to collect to
analyse the reviews and feedbacks form various groups and departments of organization
regarding customer operations. Main objective of this method is to understand the effectiveness
and drawback points of skills of individual within organization to overcome customers’ problems
and feedbacks. It is also consider one of the operative technique to understand the behaviour of
staff members of organization with in organization. Self-assessment evaluation, personal
interaction are the ways through which the 360o feedback approach can be carried out. M&S may
be benefited in terms of overcoming the weakness of organization for better sustainable business
management after implementing this method in operations (Smith and et. al., 2012).
MBO (Management by Objective)- This method of reviewing of performance of
individual and members basically based upon correlating the business objectives with individuals
within the organization. Organizational goals and objectives are tried to communicate with
individual performance of goals in this method. M&S might be get assistances by this method in
terms of communicating the operational and management goals of organization to its employees
and staff members. This method retain potential to provide vast possibilities to employees to
contribute the performance to organization.
3.2 Plan for the development of future situations requiring leadership
In future, there is a main role of practising the leadership and also its development. The
changes develops impact on the leadership development. Under this, leadership competencies
will be enhanced and there will be requirement to create as well as constructs the new methods.
It will require to do arrangement on the predications and role of leader will be critical. In this
modern era, technology has been expanding day by day and during it expand the new challenge
for leadership. So, there is a need to leaders to develop plan in order to handle crisis and adopt
advanced technology (Blumenthal and et. al., 2012).
Political and regulatory effect- Under this, these will be arise in future. So, for this
leadership should have the capability to face regulatory challenges. If Marks & Spencer conduct
its business operations in other country then it need deal with the political issues in order to
aware from them in an effective manner. On the other hand, media is bog challenge and there
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will be requirement of effective leadership in future. As the media is independent and also can
get access in or outside company and increaser any kind of problems which are not in favour of
firm.
E learning- It is become more popular and people are to be managed by emails.
Facebook is one of the most necessary E leadership example. There is more requirement to
create as well as bring the new leadership strategy at this area because internet is a better way to
handle issues or people (Head and Alford, 2015). In addition to this, leadership should have the
better knowledge about latest technology and also its use in the leadership development in
significant manner.
Get global- It consists study of the international market and also expand in to the new
market. If firm is going to globalise its business then it need to be aware about the rules as well
as regulations of another country. In this, leadership plays a necessary role to give the proper
direction to team members which are going to involve in international operations. With the help
of this, they are able to perform in an effective manner.
TASK 4
4.1 Plan the development of leadership skills for a specific requirement
Leadership skills is explained as necessary component in the positioning of executives in
order to make the thoughtful decision regarding goals and mission of company (Ingram and et.
al., 2015). These are abilities and strengths of a leader that help to oversee the processes, steer
staff members and guide initiatives towards attaining set objectives. Leadership development is
mostly like the business training. It is a process to make improvement in performance as well as
efforts. Marks & Spencer is successful to develop the specific requirement and that is
communication skills through use of the seminars and training courses which helps to make the
better leadership environment. In addition to this, an effective leadership needs to develop
behaviour, humanity and attitude.
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(Source: Important Leadership skills for Workplace Success, 2019)
There are some of techniques or plan to development of leadership skills:
Formal learning- It is one of the necessary tool to make improvement in leadership
skills which consists requirements of recruitment. It is helpful in develop environment which are
necessary to become a good leader by training courses (Mendenhall and et. al., 2012). Under
this, there is a need to leader in Marks & Spencer to learn by experience but from certain things,
leader can improve their skills and capabilities. In context to this, leader of Marks & Spencer
should have ability to examine future requirements and through keeping future needs in mind.
On the other hand, leadership can be created through development of activities, formal training
and self- help activities.
Formal training- This technique is used when there is condition to develop specific skill
for particular time period. In this, Marks & Spencer company introduced workshops in training
centres to develop leadership skills. In the training programs, there is a requirement to design
better training program with clear leaning objectives, it helps in develop self confidence of each
person (Renz and Herman, 2016).
Other than these, some skills are necessary for leadership from experience than
conducting the formal training programs. Mentoring and coaching can helpful for the manager to
interpret experience as well as learn the new skills.
4.2 Report on the usefulness of methods used to plan the development of leadership skills
A better leadership needs the good qualities to attain the set targets. Leadership
communication skills inspire the other people to work towards attaining identified objectives. It
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Illustration 3: Leadership skills