Posted: April 27th, 2015

Reflection Journal “I am as a Strategic Leader.” PERSONAL LEVEL OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

This paper presents analyses of your own journey in exploring your means, choices, goals and challenges as a strategic leader. You are welcome to include data from the reflection exercises that we performed in the class.

This paper presents analyses of your own journey in exploring your means, choices, goals and challenges as a strategic leader. You are welcome to include data from the reflection exercises that we performed in the class. The personal reflection paper has the following structure:

• Introduction:
  • You and your goals in strategic leadership arena
• Understandingyourself through the prism of strategic leadership
  • Self-evaluation through strategic leadership profile
  • Cognitive biases in your thinking and actions
  • Strategy making approach that you usually apply
  • Your stakeholders and their needs
  • Your mission and vision
• Analyzingyourself through the prism of strategic leadership
  • Your strengths and weaknesses as a strategic leader in the prism of your own mission, vision, and goals [Refer to your leadership profile/cognitive biases/strategy making approach (above)!]
  • Opportunities and threats for your mission and vision implementation [Apply STEPL and/or 5 Forces. Don’t forget about the stakeholders and their needs as well]
• Implementation:Defining your path to success
  • Defining your strategy & your competitive advantage in outreaching your vision
    • Competitive strategy? Blue ocean? Local/global strategies?
  • Alliances, partnerships, and ideas for assuring long-term success
    • Horizontal integration? Vertical?
  • Action plan:
    • Specific actions that you will do to strengthen your strategic leadership capabilities and achieve your own goals [Make it as a table with specific actions and stepping stones]
  • Conclusion
    • Your takeaways from this journey

Three typical mistakes that students do:

#1: “Analysis” does not correspond to the information from the “understanding” part

• Tip: The “Analysis” section must summarize and analyze the information from the “Understanding” section 

#2. SWOT is not based on course frameworks

• Tip: Make sure that you do refer to (a) profile, (b) cognitive biases, (c) process of strategy making [described in the “Understanding” section], and (d) STEPL and/or Five Forces. Help me easy find these references

#3. Action plan is short, or general and useless.

• Tip: Present the action plan in a table form with the list specific actions you plan to do and stepping stones in their implementation
• Tip: Show how you will overcome weaknesses, strengthen your competitive advantage, and move towardsyour vision