Analysis on the case

‘Bold and Unafraid’

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Individual resilience

‘They did it through leadership. Indeed, we would argue that the most critical quality in
business leadership today is the ability to consistently close the gap between strategy and
execution—or, better yet, to operate as if there is no gap.’

Reasons for selecting the passage

Strategy is the future direction of how a leader can achieve the target. And the word
‘execution’ refers to successful implement of the planned strategy in the right way. For a leader,
setting strategy and successful implementation is equally important and a critical for his/her
career.

Strategic skills enable a leader to create guidelines, set directions, and determine how
resources will be effectively allocated to achieve a larger goal, while execution requires the
tactical and practical skills necessary to make a plan a reality to implement. Developing a
strategy that embodies the organization is great, but when a leader doesn't have the skills to turn
that strategy into a workable plan, this is just an impractical dream. Many great visions fall apart
before they even take off.

A great tactical leader can take the strategic vision, understand the business required
goals and objectives, as well as break it down into operational segments so that actionable steps
and practical resource allocations can be scheduled to achieve the goal. For many leaders,
however, their strength lies in knowing what to do (strategy) or how to do it (execution), but not
both. Strategic thinking takes tactical realities into account, and it is precisely these realities that
are determined by the strategic plan. While it is important that the organization's leaders can
develop a strategy, their skills are irrelevant if they cannot execute them.

An agile leader is someone who is a professional in developing and implementing

organizational strategies. This includes breaking down the bigger vision into actionable steps,
establishing a plan to track progress, making sure the right stakeholders are placed in the right
roles, and having the flexibility to respond to challenges or priority changes as they arise. Once
strategy is established, it is important that a leader can change tactics, rather than strategy, to
achieve the most successful and impactful results when competing priorities arise.

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 Since executing the strategy is vital to any organization’s success as well as most
challenging for a leader, the selected passage is especially valuable and pertinent to me in terms
of individual leadership and resilience. Accurate execution of the strategy can be done through
effective engagement with stakeholders, proper alignment with the strategic plan and ownership
in the overall planning process. To bridge the gap between strategy and execution, a leader’s
vision needs to stay focused and be committed to the planning process from beginning to end.
Keeping the subordinate engaged and aligned will ensure that a leader’s strategic plan will be
fruitful at the completion.

Organizational resilience

‘Commit to an identity. The company differentiates itself and grows by being clear-minded
about what it does best and sticking to its choices. This identity comprises the value
proposition, distinctive capabilities, and portfolio of products and services all fitting together.’

Reasons for selecting the passage

Commitment to an identity or work engagement is defined as the level of enthusiasm an

employee has for the tasks assigned to them in a workplace. It is the sense of responsibility a
person has towards the goals, mission and vision of the organization that belongs. A high level of
employee satisfaction in a company is related to work commitment and engagement in the
company, which translates into superior business performance, which in turn translates into
higher effectiveness, productivity, staff retention and an overall improvement in the workplace
environment.

One of the most important reasons is that the commitment of the organization enables an
organization to achieve its goals and stick to its vision. Employee retention is a real problem.
However, when companies can make their employees feel like they are valued, it increases
engagement at work. Without a group of encouraged and committed workers, a business can be
in a hazardous position. Commitment at work leads to better yield. Employees need a leader to
lead them from the front by being committed towards goals and objectives. This organizational
commitment leads to greater productivity at work.

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 A compliant team creates its own tasks and ensures that they are implemented. A devoted
group understands the aims and their individual role in achieving those targets. They are self-
motivated and set goals higher than they expected. For a dedicated team, goals aren't just a
number, date, or goal; it is a vision and a journey for them. Commitment brings personal
responsibility and more creativity in tasks.

Managerial commitments take many forms, from appraisal on existing products or

services to capital projects or hiring decisions, but each commitment exerts both instantaneous
and stable influence on a corporation. Over time and in combination, a leader’s commitments
shape a business’s identity, define its strengths and weaknesses, establish its opportunities and
limitations, and set its direction. Managers who understand the nature and power of their
commitments can wield them more effectively throughout a company’s life cycle. Entrepreneurs
can avoid taking actions that imprint a new venture with a dysfunctional character. Managers in
established enterprises can reinforce past commitments that are still benefiting the company, and
they can learn to recognize when past commitments have become roadblocks to needed changes
—and replace them with new, rejuvenating commitments.

A committed team lives from new and innovative ideas and it is fun to implement such
ideas again and again. I find the passage valuable and pertinent because engagement in the
workplace brings added value through active participation in company-related discussions.
Dedicated employees bring great ideas and are always happy to help others visualize those ideas.
An organization needs the commitment and dedication of its employees in order to achieve its
overall objective of stakeholders.

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Reference

 Sull, D., June 2003, Managing by Commitments, from https://hbr.org/2003/06/managing-

by-commitments
 Organizational Commitment: Definition, benefits, and How to Improve It, from
https://www.questionpro.com/blog/organizational-commitment/
 Werf, R., 3 Key Types of Organizational Commitment, from
https://www.effectory.com/knowledge/3-key-types-of-organisational-committment/
 Wiles, J.,April 2021, The 5 Pillars of Strategy Execution, from
https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/the-five-pillars-of-strategy-execution
 Strategy Execution: What It Is and How To Execute It, from
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/strategy-execution
 Neilson, J., June 2008, The Secrets to Successful Strategy Execution, from
https://hbr.org/2008/06/the-secrets-to-successful-strategy-execution
 Strategy Execution: Break Away from Conventional Thinking, from
https://www.imd.org/amp/general-management-reflections/strategy-execution/