STRATEGIC LEADERS: FUTURE DEMANDS

The progressive and continual changes in business climate require corporate leaders to return to the drawing board to determine the criteria of a leader who is able to face business challenges in the future. The current and future challenges are different from 10 years ago. Therefore, company must develop leaders that have visions, are synergistic, as well as transformational. A successful leader is someone who is strategic oriented, able to work best in plural environments, adaptable, prioritizing team work, and also adding extra values. THE JAKARTA CONSULTING GROUP (JCG) has developed the concept, the framework, and the leadership learning called the JCG Q -LEADERS.


JCGs CONCEPT OF LEADERSHIP

The JCG has developed a concept of leadership who is future oriented and has the commitment to see and dream, change and direct his/her followers to the designated target. This concept of leadership is expected to be able to handle business challenges that have become progressively complex, including the changes in HRs demand and the mobilizing organizational member. Basically, a Q-leadership is a process that is based on the power of vision which optimizes the strategy ability, sensitivity, commitment and active action to face every change.

ROLES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF Q-LEADER

A Q-leader does not only perform conventional management activities the PDAC (planning, directing, action and controlling) but also is able to have a boader role as a facilitator and an influencer for his/her teammates and other teams. This role incorporates direction setter, counselor, confidence builder, charger, career maker, and agent of change. As a direction setter, a leader is someone who is future oriented and has visions, see and dream ahead but possesses deep insight of history (success and failures). As a counselor, he/she is able to give mentoring & coaching, become advisory and influencing. Putting and improving self-confidence and energy of the team and its teammates is the duty of a leader. For the followers who become the career maker, a leader is the talent (and skill) developer as well as the integrator, value creator and value disseminator for the company. To act as a talent and skill developer, a leader creates a condusive learning environment to promote the formation of a learning organization. A leader is required to be tactfull, innovative and creative to execute an effective integration, to create and to disseminate values. In the end, the future of a Q-leader is the Agent of Change. The JCG illustrates the role of a Q-leader descriptively below.

As a facilitator and an influencer, the futuristic Q-Leader possess certain characteristics: responsive, sensitive, communicative, flexible, highly adaptable, a risk taker, as well as accepting change as a normal issue and taking advantage of it, and regarding failure as a logical consequence from the new frontier that become a valuable lesson. His/her philosophy is portrayed by empowerment and strategic problem finding and solving and decision making, based on a long-term orientation and breakthroughs.


DEVELOPMENT OF A LEADER ANSWERS THE FUTURE

The current and future challenges are the changes in business climate that has become more turbulent, the increase of HR demands and expectation, and the scarcity of qualified resources (especially HR). The JCG Model of Developing Q-Leader portrays a framework of leader development that will answer these challenges.

The above model illustrates that a leader as well as leadership is a process of creating followers. A leader is unable to perform his/her purposes and duties effectively without the supports from others whose are capable, dedicated, committed to the same goal on the same pace.

A Q-Leader must possess two dimensions of leadership: interpersonal human relations and power of duty. The interpersonal human relations dimension is necessary for building trust and respect, activating a 2-way communication. By strengthening this dimension, a Q-leader is more willing and comfortable to give empowerment to his/her followers as well as to increase encouragement. On the other hand, improving the power of duty gives a Q-Leader the ability to merge visions (visioning) and be prepared to face challenges (challenging). Due to a progressively critical and egalitarian society, a Q-Leader is obligated to become a role model for his/her followers.

Q-LEADER EXPANDS COMPETITIVENESS AND COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE

The JCG as PARTNER IN CHANGE acquires the expertise to help the company to develop leaders who can answer future challenges. The JCG offers learning and coaching programs through public seminar, or customized seminar to fulfill specific needs in the company, as well as consultation in leadership development. The ability of leaders in articulating visions and increasing commitment and dedication of their followers, which are showed in the increase of efforts to achieve business targets/goals by the followers, will improve quality and productiveness. Eventually, it will promote high competitiveness and preserve competitive edge of the company.