key competencies for 21st century strategic leaders
by
LTC JP Moore
Strategic Leadership
24 October 2012
U.S. Army War College
Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania 17013
It became clear to me [as the Chief of Staff of the Army]…I would have to learn new tricks that were not taught in the military manuals or on the battlefield. In this position [as a strategic leader] I am a political soldier and will have to put my training in rapping-out orders and making snap decisions on the back burner; and have to learn the arts of persuasion and guile. I must become an expert in a whole new set of skills. George C. Marshall
After a review of the aforementioned George C. Marshall quote and the research conducted for this piece, the author draws the conclusion that the success – or failure – of a strategic leader depends on his or her abilities as an intellectual, culturally aware team builder, influencer, and a communicator above the tactical and operational levels of leadership. With this judgment, the following piece will answer two questions. What key competencies should a strategic leader possess in order to align their organizations to a constantly changing and complex – VUCA and JIIM – environment? How do these competencies facilitate his or her strategic organization’s alignment to the constantly changing and complex – VUCA and JIIM – environment?
Strategic leader competencies generally consist of the “knowledge, skills, attributes, and capacities that enable a leader to perform his required tasks.” Key strategic leader competencies establish the underpinnings that allow a strategic leader to understand the broader environment and expanded relationships in order to lead their organization and operate effectively – as an individual or collective. The remainder of this essay will expand on the statement that the three key
