What is Organizational Leadership?
Organizational leadership is a focused management style that prioritizes operational processes, intentional structure and strategic planning. Careers in this field range from management roles to executive leadership positions. Individuals in these positions are equipped to tackle unanticipated difficulties and identify future growth opportunities utilizing effective business leadership tactics. Specifically, they are confident in their distinctive leadership style and commitment to creating positive change through evidence-based decisions.
For most organizations, effective organizational leadership involves critical oversight of daily, monthly and annual operations as well as key performance indicators (KPIs). While such leaders at the management level might oversee a team or specific area, those at the executive level are often leading entire organizations. Strategic approaches to continued efficiency and profitable growth metrics are always on their minds. However, it’s not without a healthy balance of positive team environments and meaningful work cultures. Individuals in organizational leadership roles generate wholistic visions while applying theoretic leadership concepts to mission-relevant operations.
How Do I Become an Organizational Leader?
Just like with most management or executive roles, advanced education is paramount. Organizational leadership positions carry critical responsibilities and require a plethora of skills including but not limited to deeply understanding business, quick adaptability to change, outstanding interpersonal and relational abilities, self-awareness, and of course, communication.
Among one of the most common pathways to organizational leadership is a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership degree, or MSOL. It might seem like earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is the most relevant option to becoming a business leader. Either can get you there. However, an MSOL provides the specific skillset needed for organizational leadership. Further, it prioritizes the social dynamics and cultural components of leading individuals effectively.
In addition to earning a master’s degree, you’ll want to have meaningful experience that has prepared you to lead at a management or executive level. This comes from a variety of avenues, but primarily, you want to have a deep understanding of business, as previously mentioned, that you’ve derived from hands-on experience. This compliments your education and sets you up to not only be qualified for a management or executive role, but to be prepared to a point where you’re confident in your abilities and ready to face challenges with strength.
How Do I Choose the Right MSOL Program?
In sum, you want to choose an MSOL program that provides you with the key skills you need to succeed as an organizational leader. This includes data-driven insights, relevant and applicable coursework, leadership theory, technology, human resources, and more.
Data-Driven Insights and Relevant Coursework
First, we’ll talk about the importance of data-driven insights and relevant and applicable coursework. You want to find a program that equips you to be a leader in today’s challenging modern leadership landscape. You can gain this expertise through participating in real-world case studies where you learn to improve organizational performance and confront leadership difficulties immediately. Ultimately, you want to be positioned as someone equipped to handle the leadership demands of today’s dynamic corporate climate and to achieve professional success.
I recently graduated from the MSOL program at American College of Education, and I’ve experienced several opportunities to put what I learned into practice. From communication skills to managing a small business, I’ve seen the fruits of pursuing an MSOL in my personal and professional life.
Leadership Theory
It’s also transformative to have a foundation of leadership theory. From my MSOL pursuit, the course called “Leadership Theories, Frameworks and Philosophies” is engrained in my memory because the information I learned is essential in assisting leaders to transition from one leadership style to another. You become a leader of leaders, prepared to empower others to grow in their careers. Throughout the class, I had the opportunity to examine my leadership technique in relation to various ideas and frameworks. I specifically remember a focus on “light bulb moments” – moments of realization that provide insight into how adjusting your leadership style might improve your effectiveness and inclusivity as a leader. So, you want a program that allows you to be self-reflective.
Technology
Today’s business landscape is evolving technologically with the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and the continued increase in virtual working environments. If you’re aspiring to be an organizational leader, it’s important to ask yourself if you’re ready to take the helm in a rapidly changing world of virtual business. This is why it’s highly recommended to choose an MSOL program with technology-specific courses. Managers and leaders of today are required to have a high level of expertise in various virtual tools and technologies to improve team performance and engagement as well as to increase productivity in hybrid and remote businesses. You’ll need the knowledge and ability necessary to succeed as a virtual team leader like nurturing collaboration, motivating diverse teams and achieving success. I feel fully equipped after participating in an MSOL program that focuses on managing multicultural teams and navigating the difficulties of virtual environments.
Human Resources
Effective human resource management (HRM) is integral to organizational success and improving employee outcomes. Individuals seeking an organizational leadership career should ensure that coursework includes deep, focused information on HRM, frequently considered the most critical aspect of any company. HRM is essential for managing the full employee lifecycle, from when employees are hired until they resign or retire. Leaders need fundamental knowledge to understand the evolving functions of HRM, ethical practices and legal regulations. In MSOL programs with HRM courses, you’ll investigate subject areas including benefits, payroll, labor regulations and hiring procedures that help you generate a culture of engaged employees. The ability to master HRM is an invaluable skill for any leadership role, as it ensures that you are ready to cultivate a robust, compliant and efficient staff.
What Are Key Skills Needed to Be an Organizational Leader?
An organizational leader is a confident visionary with the ability to create and execute strategic plans. This individual is responsible for setting organizational goals that inform department, team and ultimately, individual employee goals – all of which contribute to the organization’s mission. Such goals also inform marketing strategies, performance standards, employee engagement practices and hiring approaches.
Additionally, an organizational leader is the cheerleader and encourager who empowers their people to implement directives and see the organization flourish. This requires a variety of both technical and soft skills that can be developed through education, as mentioned, and of course, experience. Since we’ve talked about key areas an organizational leader needs to learn with an MSOL program, let’s touch on a few soft skills.
- Communication: All leaders need strong, effective communication skills, and this is especially important for organizational leaders because their direction is only as powerful as their ability to inspire employees to execute it.
- Humility: Leaders need feedback just as much as employees at other levels. Organizational leaders should not just be open to feedback, but they should take it constructively as motivation to grow and enhance their approaches.
- Vision: An individual who is in charge of executing a vision must have the innate desire to brainstorm, collaborate and foresee what the future of their organization can look like. Not only should an organizational leader be able to create a vision, but they must also take steps to see it come to fruition.
- Motivation: A leader who is not motivated is likely not going to be able to motivate others. Motivation is an active soft skill that propels individuals to make visions, plans and strategies realities that catapult organizations to their next levels.
At the end of the day, organizational leaders are critical to the business landscape and to become one, individuals should gain thorough and hands-on education that generates the leadership skills needed to be an invaluable contributor in any workplace. Remember, an MSOL program combined with experience and soft skills can be a sure formula to provide the practical tools necessary to negotiate complicated business situations, inspire teams and generate organizational success. Before you know it, you will be in a position to lead with confidence, competence and vision in today’s evolving business landscape.
Become an organizational leader with the M.S. in Organizational Leadership program at American College of Education.
