It is quite natural for any company to experience business cycles due to the constant need for progress and introduction of new ideas into the organizational setting. Although an evolutionary cycle also implies that every company will have to face its eventual decline, it represents the natural order of development (Leavy & McKiernan, 2020). However, it is also natural for the evolutionary cycle to incorporate the continuous discord between strategy and structure (Leavy & McKiernan, 2020). The observed struggle can be explained by the need to introduce innovative ideas into the corporate strategy, adjusting to the emergent market trends, while retaining the set organizational structure (Leavy & McKiernan, 2020). As a result, a compromise between the two must be achieved so that a firm could continue its development while retaining its core attributes.
Furthermore, it is paramount for an organizational leader to develop qualities that would define the leader in question as strategic. Among the most prominent leaders operating in the current global economy, one could single out Meg Whitman, the CEO of eBay, as an outstanding strategic leader (Leavy & McKiernan, 2020). Viewing human resources as the main asset of any organization, Whitman designed an entirely new approach to working with employees based on her listening abilities, coining the term “new employee” (Leavy & McKiernan, 2020). Therefore, Whitman’s ability to transform the attitudes of staff members while maximizing their performance efficacy as the key resources on which eBay relied suggests that she does, in fact, warrant the title of an incredible strategic leader. Moreover, Whitman’s actions have amplified the team’s performance, making eBay the most popular e-commerce platform in the world (Leavy & McKiernan, 2020). Overall, Whitman can be regarded as a prime example of an excellent strategic leader.
Reference
Leavy, B., & McKiernan, P. (2020). Strategic leadership: Governance and renewal. Bloomsbury Publishing.