Organizational Leadership Definition, Pros, Cons, & Tips | ZipJob

At some point in life, everyone has gone to Grandma’s house for a holiday meal or at least you’ve seen a show on television where people attend a family meal at Grandma’s house. In either case, to put organizational leadership into a personable perspective, you can think of them as the grandmas of the workplace. In much the same way as Grandma orchestrates a perfect holiday gathering, organizational leaders make important decisions to ensure everyone is engaged and everything is organized so that overall organizational goals can be met. 

Sentimental moments aside, organizational leaders are critically important to the proper functioning of a company. Perhaps you’re considering a degree in organizational leadership or just want to know what’s involved in being an organizational leader, you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll find out the definition of the phrase “organizational leadership” and learn some pros and cons of taking on the role. Then, if you decide that being an organizational leader is right for you, you’ll find some tips on what to do in your career to move in that direction. 

What is organizational leadership?

When you’re at work, who guides processes and procedures? That person is in an organizational leadership role. They make decisions that affect operations by setting strategic goals and motivating staff to be successful. Much of that is done by encouraging cooperation among staff and instilling a sense of teamwork under a concept similar to many hands make light work. 

More than that, though, organizational leaders take part in:

• Developing organizational roadmaps

• Implementing operational strategy

• Setting the mission, vision, and values of the company

• Managing and developing talent

• Making good business decisions

• Engaging stakeholder – this is an effective communication bullet on their resume

All of this may make you think that an organizational leader is the Chief of something – the Chief Executive Office, the Chief Operations Officer, or the Chief Financial Officer. However, organizational leaders can be found at all levels of an organization, not just at the three-letter level. Here are some examples:

• The CEO sets the business plan

• A Department Manager assembles and mentors a new team

• A Project Manager balances competing priorities on multiple and concurrent projects

• A Nonprofit Executive Director implements new programs to improve outreach

• A High School Principal researches and executes a new student engagement initiative

If there is some vision for the future being set and carried out that has an impact on the organization as a whole, the person coming up with that vision is an organizational leader. 

The 5 principles of highly effective organizational leadership

If you think of an organization as a well-oiled machine that has a lot of moving parts, it’s easy to see how every part is integral to proper operation. A machine needs input to produce something and all of the parts need to work together. The same holds true for a company. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, there are five principles of effective organizational leadership that must be executed to create a workplace that achieves organizational goals. 

Those 5 principles are:

1. Vision

This is all about the direction the organization needs to go. Not only does setting the vision mean defining the goals of the company, but it goes a step further to guarantee that the staff have a clear understanding of their part. A well-written vision, sometimes called an organizational roadmap, allows staff to align their work with the goals of the company to achieve high levels of productivity. It’s critical to understand that the company’s vision shouldn’t be set in stone, though. Things change, sometimes on a daily basis. So, adaptability and the ability to update or set new goals is important to continued success. 

2. Adaptability

Of course, when you’re talking about adaptability, you’re talking about long-term success. There’s not a single business out there with the goal of making money to close down. So, organizational leaders have to keep up with things like industry trends and new technologies to adapt business models as necessary to stay ahead of the curve. The goal here is to stay competitive and capitalize on new opportunities in a fast-paced world. In this sense, organizational leaders should be constantly learning and growing. 

3. Problem-solving

In order to see how to adapt to new challenges and changes, an organizational leader must be really good at identifying and solving problems – big ones and small ones. By finding out the root cause of an issue and developing plans to fix it, on-top-of-it organizational leaders can better help their organization thrive. In addition, having an organization that runs smoothly boosts employee morale and sets the tone for a positive work culture. 

4. Culture

A good organizational leader will set a positive culture based on continuous improvement and open communication because it shapes how employees interact with each other. The culture that an organizational leadership builds can attract the right talent and even improve employee retention. As diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts become more pronounced in today’s workforce, a positive culture is becoming more and more important for job seekers looking for open positions. Once the right staff are in place, a good culture will help them be more satisfied with their jobs and encourage them to stay. 

5. Employee engagement

Just knowing that your employees are happy isn’t enough. Great organizational leaders continue to do things that keep those employees engaged as a way to measure commitment, productivity, and innovation. In fact, a Gallup study indicates that companies who take the time to engage their staff enjoy 21% more profits. The bottom line with employee engagement is that staff want to feel like they’re valued and respected by their employers. They want their work to matter and have an impact on the big picture. No one wants to simply be a cog in the machine. 

What are organizational leadership roles and responsibilities?

We’ve already talked about how organizational leaders set the vision for the organization and have the responsibility of making sure staff all work together to achieve those goals. On top of that, the roles and responsibilities of organizational leaders can be as diverse as the companies they serve. It stands to reason that the CEO of a major bank would have to be well-versed in finance, while the director of a nonprofit probably won’t need to know that much about finance. So, industry-related knowledge is one of the critical aspects of being a good organizational leader. 

With that said, there are a lot of common roles that organizational leaders share at all levels and across all industries. For example, organizational leaders must have the following qualities:

• Strategic

• Visionary

• Tactical

• People-oriented

• Accountability

• Empathy

• Inclusivity

If you’re looking for positions, you would look for keywords like:

• Change Agent

• Crisis Manager

• Performance Manager

• Talent Acquisition Representative

• Continuous Improvement Specialist

The pros and cons of taking on an organizational leadership role

Whether you desire to be the person who makes a difference or you just like a challenge, you should be aware that there are – as with anything in life – pros and cons of taking on an organizational leadership role. 

Some of the pros

While you shouldn’t go into any position just for the money because you will likely get burned out pretty quickly, it should be noted that organizational leaders do bring home a pretty paycheck. Your real motivation should align with something you’re passionate about. Being a people person is an awesome motivation for getting into an organizational leadership role. You’ll also be given the opportunity to expand your knowledge base, which, of course, will lead to opportunities for career advancement.

And the opportunities are out there. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts fast growth with more than one million job openings each year for the next 10 years. Because of that demand, you could advance pretty quickly if you have the right skills. 

Some of the cons

With the rewards come some challenges that you should take into account before deciding if an organizational leadership role is right for you. The first, and perhaps most important, con or challenge is the propensity for long hours and high stress. The job of an organizational leader is demanding and there is a heavy workload. Also, you may be looking forward to being the decision-maker, but are you the type of person who can live with the fact that some of your decisions may negatively impact members of your staff or customers? You have to be responsible for the easy decisions and the hard ones. 

There will be some limitations to your position, too. You may be the one making decisions and motivating your team to achieve goals in alignment with those decisions, but you may not be the top dog. This is especially true in a large corporation. You have to define operational frameworks and strategies based on the policies of the company. 

Something else for you to consider – are you a natural leader or is that a talent you need to work on? Remember, one of the main roles of your job will be to motivate staff to do good work. With this comes the need for you to have high emotional intelligence to not only manage your own emotions but the emotions of your team, too. 

Difference between organizational management and organizational leadership

If you are a manager at a retail store, a factory manager, or a project manager overseeing a project, you may be wondering if you’re in an organizational leadership role. The short answer is, “No.” 

Organizational management and organizational leadership are two distinctly different things. Leaders set the strategy, managers carry out the strategy.  There’s also a difference in the way the positions are handled on a daily basis. Here’s a breakdown:

• Organizational leadership focuses on vision, direction, and strategy with the goal of inspiring employees and making decisions through strategic thinking, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

• Organizational management worries more about the daily operations and efficiency of the team by developing plans, delegating tasks, and monitoring progress. Their main skills are technical in nature. 

Of course, there will be some overlap between the two positions, but if you remember that organizational leadership is focused more on people and management is focused more on processes, you’ll be able to find the right role for your career goals. 

Tips on landing an organizational leadership jobs

If you’ve decided that being an organizational leader is in your future, there are some steps you need to take to get ready to pursue that position. By following these steps, you can be sure that you’ll stand out from the crowd:

• Get a bachelor's, master's, or PhD organizational leadership degree

• Develop leadership skills

• Get some leadership skills – even if you have to volunteer for projects that would put you in a leadership position for a short period of time

• Grow your network

• Find a mentor

• Demonstrate adaptability and continuous learning on your resume

• Be proactive, visible, positive, enthusiastic

Shaping futures and lives

At the end of the day, organizational leaders are indispensable to companies, whether those companies are multinational conglomerates or small community nonprofit organizations. As an organizational leader, you’ll bear the brunt of the decision-making processes that keep your company on track for a successful future. You’ll also guide and inspire the people in your charge to be the best versions of themselves. In that sense, it’s not just a job, it’s a calling. 

If it’s time to get your resume ready for pursuing an organizational leadership role, ZipJob stands ready to help you. Our team of professional resume writers knows how to optimize your resume with the right keywords and a format that will get you past the ATS and impress hiring managers to land an interview. 

Recommended reading: 

• Tips You Can Use to Choose the Right Leadership Style for You

• 6 Qualities of Those Who Practice Inspiring Leadership

• Leadership Traits Every Leader Needs to Succeed