Leadership in the organizational context is the ability to anticipate and envision the future. By word (espousing the values) and by personal example (enacting the values), they inspire the whole organization by effectively influencing the behaviours, thoughts, and feelings of those working with them. To bring vision to life leaders create strategic alignment in the whole organization. They ensure appropriate design of hard systems (policies, procedures, processes, systems, performances etc.) and soft systems (values, commitment, motivation, loyalty, communication etc.) to pursue progress towards the vision.

An important perspective of leadership is developing trust and win-win proposition with partners and customers and encouraging collaboration to build strong and reliable supply chain. Leaders continuously strive for developing a social relevance to the organization’s operations and thus ensuring sustained development on all fronts.

Leaders develop other leaders at all levels (not followers) for continued success of the organization. Developing teachable point of view from their experience and sharing with others is very important in reinforcing a culture of excellence all around.

Leaders establish constancy of purpose by putting in place mechanisms to anticipate and assess the impact of future changes, re-assess the changes in systems and culture of the organization needed to counter / adopt the changes, and take pragmatic decisions to implement the changes necessary to make vision a concrete reality even in the changed environment.

Simply put, the basic elements of organizational leadership are:

• Ability to envision, and translate it into reality – Strategic intelligence
• Espousing and enacting values – Culture building
• Alignment of business and social interests – Social relevance
• Teach others to be leaders as well – Decision making
• Develop and spread trust at all levels – Empowerment
• Developing win-win propositions with external partners – Teamwork
• Distinguishing timeless tenets (ideology, values etc.) from organizational practices and strategies – Managing change