Strategic leaders must also learn to prioritise. While most people live by preferences, great people live by priorities. Paul the apostle put it so beautifully when he posited that although all things may be lawful, not all things are expedient. It is the expediency of his decisions and actions that distinguishes the strategic leader from his contemporaries.

More often than not, several things compete for the leader’s attention, with each one seemingly requiring immediate personal attention. The leader must therefore learn to prioritise his decisions and actions on the basis of what is most important and germane to the corporate destination. Every task that a leader is faced with must be ranked in the order of what needs to be done immediately, what can wait till later, what can be delegated and what does not merit any action.

Prioritising helps the leader to keep the main thing the main thing by concentrating only on the needful so that his focus can be consistently honed on the destination. It involves a high degree of resourcefulness that helps allocate the resources of time, money and other materials in line with guiding values. Everyone likes to follow a focussed leader. The most pertinent even though sometimes unexpressed question in the mind of every follower is ‘Where are we going and why?’

For this reason, the strategic leader must also learn to engage. A problem not confronted is a problem unsolved. Setting goals without action is vision on auction. As scriptures tell us, those who wait for all conditions to be perfect will never get anything done! A Chinese proverb says that vision without action is nothing but daydreaming. With every set goal must come an action plan. But beyond that, the leader must have the steely resolve to follow through the action. The culture of execution only thrives where there is a will on the part of leadership to back decisions with action, even if only initially in baby steps! Do not expect God to guide your path if you are patently unwilling to move your feet. The process of engagement involves getting all stakeholders to read on the same page. Even where this seems unlikely, none of them must feel isolated or ignored. This takes a lot of hard work and a high degree of leadership responsibility.

Furthermore, the strategic leader must be adept at networking. More than skill, education and material resources, two things will fast-track a person’s career and literally put his earning power on steroids; the quality of instruction he receives through books and other instructional materials as well as the quality of his relationships. As I have had cause to say in this column, your network will significantly influence your net worth. People are the leader’s foundational material for leveraging. Networking is predicated on the principle that someone somewhere already has whatever you are looking for.

However, networking does not thrive on a parasitic propensity that simply looks for people to use or take advantage of. Effective networking involves the development of relationships with a symbiotic inclination. People love to help but no one likes to be used. Before you seek relationships with people of value, ask yourself what you are bringing to the table.

Quality networking involves relationships at three key levels. First, you should seek to connect with people above you who are already living in the reality of what is still a dream to you. They are called mentors or superiors. You need them for inspiration and instruction. Second, connect with people who are your contemporaries. You need such for friendship and idea-sharing. Lastly, you should also relate with people who are socially below you. They become invaluable foot soldiers who would go to any length to get things done for you once they have a sense of obligation to you. The critical issue at all these levels is the value that you are also willing to contribute to their lives rather than what you intend to take. Mentors will be glad to spend time with you when it is clear to them that the relationship is not just about what you can get from them. Contemporaries have no time opening up you when they know that they will benefit from rubbing minds with you. Subordinates will warm up to you when they know that you have their best interests at heart all the time.

Before cultivating a network, you must first determine the quality of people you want to relate with across the divides highlighted above and why. A qualitative network must always be built around relevance and value. Otherwise, the relationship soon becomes a bog that seems drown you in drudgery. Remember the wisdom of Solomon; he that desires to be wise must court the company of the wise since a companion of fools is soon destroyed!

An unserviced network is of no value. Establish a platform or platforms where you regularly connect with your network. It could be through social media - thanks to technology - sms, a newsletter, social events or any other activity that keeps you in their face and more importantly in their hearts...to be continued

Remember, the sky is not your limit, God is!