STRATEGIC MANAGERS
Managers who act strategically will think about what the organi-
zation wants to be and become and what they can do to ensure
this happens. They will have a broad view of where they are
going and are capable of seeing ‘the big picture’, looking beyond
the confines of their immediate problems to what lies ahead and
how what they do supports the efforts of other people. But they
will also be aware that they are responsible, first, for planning
how to allocate resources (people and money) in ways which
contribute to the implementation of strategy, and second, for
managing these resources so that they significantly add value to
the results achieved by the firm.
TEN THINGS TO DO IF YOU WANT TO
MANAGE STRATEGICALLY- Understand the business and its competitive environment.
- Be aware of the goals of the business and its plans to attain
them. - Align what you are doing with the organization’s business
strategy. - Know where you are going and how you are going to get
there. - Remember that formal strategic plans do not guarantee
success; it is the implementation of the plans that delivers
results. - Know how to plan the use of resources to make the best use
of business opportunities. - Understand how you can contribute to the achievement of
the objectives of the key functions in the business and
support the strategic activities of your colleagues. - Be able to foresee longer-term developments, envisage
options and their probable consequences, and select sound
courses of action. - Rise above the day-to-day detail.
- Challenge the status quo.
182 How to be an Even Better Manager