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       Chapter 2

       Six Factors for Strategic Leadership

      When executives tell you to be more strategic, they want you to see the big picture, not just of your department, but of the organization, industry, and market. The higher you move within an organization, the easier it becomes to see the big picture. You have conversations at a higher level and are privy to information that applies to the entire organization (versus a narrow focus on your specific area of responsibility). You also benefit from broader exposure to people who already think in a big-picture way. It can seem like a catch-22, because you can’t get to the higher levels without looking and acting strategic, but it isn’t always obvious how to get a big-picture understanding (let alone show executives you have that ability) without being a part of those executive circles. When you’re starting out, the onus is on you to build up your strategic leadership capabilities. If you haven’t heard it yet, don’t wait for someone to tell you to be more strategic—desire to do that on your own.

      Stephen R. Covey uses an analogy of producers cutting through a jungle to help explain leadership and big-picture thinking:

      Envision a group of producers cutting their way through the jungle with machetes. They’re the producers, the problem solvers. They’re cutting through the undergrowth, clearing it out. The managers are behind them, sharpening their machetes, writing policy and procedure manuals, holding muscle development programs, bringing in improved technologies, and setting up working schedules and compensation programs for machete wielders. The leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells, “Wrong jungle!” But how do the busy, efficient producers and managers often respond? “Shut up! We’re making progress.”8