WHITE PAPER

it remains one of management’s highest

WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO: priorities. With the speed of change facing

THE NINE ROLES business today, the need for effective senior

OF STRATEGIC
level strategic leaders, who can formulate
and execute business strategies to produce

LEADERSHIP desired results, is seen as critical to the very

survival of the business.
Advancement from the operational to the Contrasted with operational leaders, whose
strategic level represents one of the most primary role is to manage day-to-day business
BY critical and challenging professional transi- operations, leaders who transition from
LOREN APPELBAUM tions a leader can make. And not all leaders
EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT,
operational to strategic leadership must
SUCCESSION can make the move successfully. The fre- assume a variety of key roles to achieve
MANAGEMENT PRACTICE,
DDI quency of senior executive failure, churn longerterm strategic business results in
MATTHEW PAESE, PH.D. and turnover is significant. Articles such as pursuit of profitable sales growth, increased
PRACTICE LEADER, Fortune magazine’s “Why CEO’s Fail” (1999)
EXECUTIVE SUCCESSION
market share, implementation of change,
MANAGEMENT, provide numerous high-profile examples. A and the strategic alliances that will help
DDI
study by Manchester Consulting estimates achieve these goals.
that four in 10 senior leaders fail within the
Quite often, one of the biggest barriers to
first 18 months on the job (Across the
success in making the transition to strategic
Board, 2000). According to Drake Beam
leadership is a lack of insight into the roles
Morin, Inc., two thirds of all major companies
that leaders need to assume at the senior
worldwide have replaced their CEO at least
strategic level. A taxonomy is needed that
once since 1995 (Bianco, Lavelle & Merritt,
defines and helps to clarify the nature of
2000), and a DDI survey of Corporate
these roles and the transition leaders must
Leadership Council members found that
make to perform well in these roles. This in
approximately three fourths of companies
turn will help better prepare leaders to be
worldwide are not confident in their capa-
successful, and to provide a framework for
bility to effectively staff strategic leadership
their development and deployment.
positions over the next five years
(Corporate Leadership Council, 2000).
THE NINE ROLES OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
WHITE PAPER — WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO:

DEFINING THE SHIFT FROM OPERATIONAL

From McKinsey’s “The War for Talent” TO STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
(Chambers, Foulon, Handfield-Jones, Hankin Based on extensive experience in assessment,
& Michaels, 1998) to the recently published development, and coaching of senior leaders,
Grow Your Own Leaders (Byham, Smith & DDI has identified nine such roles (see
Paese, 2000), more and more executives have sidebar on the next page) that characterize
recognized the importance of recruiting, senior strategic leadership. These roles
identifying and preparing effective leaders; describe the situations of senior strategic

1
 leadership, and reflect the most vital and align with the organization’s vision (the
important functions of today’s successful “Strategist” role). The focus might then
leaders. While strategic leaders are not typi- subsequently shift to building passion and
cally engaged in all nine roles “all the time,” commitment toward those goals among the
they will often be involved in situations people who need to take ownership of the
related to more than one role at any given strategy or vision (the “Captivator”role). The
time. The relative importance placed on nine roles have general applicability across
each role is dependent upon the business all senior leadership positions, and are not
situation in which the leader is engaged. unique to any particular job; however, the
Thus, in one situation a strategic leader may particular focus on any given role at a point
initially be focused on developing a long- in time will be determined by the business
range course of action or set of goals to issues being addressed at that time. Ideally,
an executive team would collectively repre-
sent capabilities across the full spectrum of
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE these roles.
Just because leaders have been highly successful
Following are the nine key strategic
in operational/functional roles doesn’t ensure their
leadership roles and brief definitions of
success as senior strategic leaders. Yet organiza-
each. A more complete description,
tions routinely rely on these very people to move
including illustrations for each, is included
into these critical roles. The result—senior strategic
in the appendix.
leaders who are unprepared to effectively deal with
NAVIGATOR—Clearly and quickly works
the situations and challenges they must face.
through the complexity of key issues,
Through the powerful content and hands-on leader- problems and opportunities to affect
ship simulation of Strategic Leadership Experience, actions (e.g., leverage opportunities and
participants will learn how to think and act more resolve issues).
strategically—to strategize ways to grow the STRATEGIST—Develops a long-range
business, gain acceptance of their strategies, and course of action or set of goals to align
execute them to achieve desired business results. with the organization’s vision.
ENTREPRENEUR—Identifies and exploits
Session Objectives
opportunities for new products, services,
Helps leaders: and markets.
> Improve their ability to deliver better business MOBILIZER—Proactively builds and
results by applying the nine leadership roles aligns stakeholders, capabilities, and
in the workplace. resources for getting things done quickly
THE NINE ROLES OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
WHITE PAPER — WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO:

> Bridge the gap from operational to strategic and achieving complex objectives.
leadership.
TALENT ADVOCATE—Attracts, develops,
> Minimize derailers that can impede their and retains talent to ensure that people
success as a senior leader. with the right skills and motivations to
> Establish peer networks across organizations meet business needs are in the right place
and functions. at the right time.

2
 CAPTIVATOR—Builds passion and These analyses included reflecting upon
commitment toward a common goal. thousands of executive positions across
hundreds of organizations throughout the
GLOBAL THINKER—Integrates
world that DDI has been involved with over
information from all sources to develop
the years in regard to executive assessment,
a well-informed, diverse perspective that
and executive coaching and development.
can be used to optimize organizational
Common themes or patterns underlying
performance.
the leadership challenges emerged. Those
CHANGE DRIVER—Creates an environ- themes or patterns formed the foundation
ment that embraces change; makes change for the strategic leadership roles.
happen—even if the change is radical—
In addition to the above research, DDI
and helps others to accept new ideas.
checked the relevance and credibility of the
ENTERPRISE GUARDIAN—Ensures nine roles with more than 100 senior-level
shareholder value through courageous leaders from more than two dozen organiza-
decision-making that supports tions that participated in field tests of an
enterprise—or unit-wide interests. executive level accelerated development
These nine roles are important at senior program, Strategic Leadership Experience
strategic levels because they help leaders (SLE). This program provides an in-depth
understand what to do to be strategic. They immersion in a business simulation and an
address the broader challenges leaders face opportunity to experience the nine roles
as they transition from managing more (see sidebar description of SLE on page 2).
narrowly focused “silos,” to taking on the In follow-up debriefings with SLE partici-
challenges of more enterprise-wide leader- pants, these executives strongly reinforced
ship. These challenges include factors such the relevance and application of the nine
as their increased span of influence, loss roles to their “real world” leadership and
of tactical control, broader consequences business challenges.
of failure, the business scope they are There are numerous models found in
addressing, their own visibility, and a greater the literature that describe various roles
variety in stakeholders they need to satisfy. senior leaders perform. Each of these
Several factors will determine a leader’s capture important and relevant roles
success or failure in meeting these appropriate to senior leadership, although
challenges, such as his or her underlying none appear to represent the full range of
skills or leadership competencies, knowl- roles we have defined through our analyses.
edge, experience, and executive derailers. They do, however, add further support to
THE NINE ROLES OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
WHITE PAPER — WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO:

the relevance and “construct validity” of

ORIGINS OF THE NINE ROLES DDI’s nine roles.
The nine roles of strategic leadership are
Table 1 highlights elements from four of
based on more than 30 years of research
these models, and the corresponding DDI
and practice in the field of executive assess-
leadership roles:
ment. They were formulated as a result of
extensive input from our clients, as well as
job analyses done by DDI’s psychologists.

3
 TABLE 1: Range of the DDI Roles Compared to Similar Roles Defined in Other Leadership Models.

DDI ROLES Covey 1 Belbin 2 Gallup 3 Mintzberg 4

NAVIGATOR _______ _______ Formulation Disseminator
Monitor
STRATEGIST Pathfinding _______ Strategic Thinking _______

ENTREPRENEUR _______ Plant Creativity Entrepreneur

MOBILIZER Aligning Company Worker, Activator Liaison

Completer-Finisher
TALENT Empowering Resource Investigator _______ Leader
ADVOCATE
CAPTIVATOR Empowering, _______ Stimulator, Spokesperson
Modeling Persuasion
GLOBAL THINKER _______ Chairman _______ _______

CHANGE DRIVER _______ Shaper _______ _______

ENTERPRISE _______ Monitor-Evaluator _______ Disturbance

GUARDIAN Handler
1
Hesselbein, F., Goldsmith, M., & Beckhard, R. (Eds.). (1996). The leader of the future: New visions, strategies, and practices for the next era.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
2
Belbin. R. M. (1981). Management teams: Why they succeed or fail. New York: Wiley.
3
Buckingham, M., & Coffman, C. (1999). First break all the rules: What the world's greatest managers do differently. New York: Simon & Schuster.
4
Mintzberg, H. (1973). The nature of managerial work. New York: Harper & Row.

In addition, DDI’s nine roles are aligned “actively expand his/her knowledge of
with the writings on leadership of many other cultures (through interactions, travel,
thought leaders who discuss the roles or etc.)” as well as the need to “appreciate the
capabilities leaders must assume in today’s value of diversity” and “effectively motivate
business environment. For example, in people of different cultural backgrounds”
summarizing results of their 1999 research (Global Thinker).
on “The Evolving Role of Executive
In New Roles for Leaders,Tom Hornsby
Leadership,” the Andersen Consulting
and Larry Warkoczeski (2000) describe
Institute for Strategic Change identified
several roles of leadership, among them:
a number of characteristics outstanding
Create a New Mindset (Change Driver);
leaders need to possess. Among these
Leader as Coach, and Develop Employees
characteristics were the “ability to develop
(Talent Advocate); Communicate Effectively
an effective strategy for achieving the
THE NINE ROLES OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
WHITE PAPER — WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO:

(Captivator); Manage Boundaries (Navigator;

vision” (DDI’s Strategist role), and “the ability
Global Thinker); and Making the Transition
to inspire people to commit to achieving
(Change Driver). Russell Reynolds
the vision” (Captivator role); “creating a
Consulting (Haapaniemi, 2000) describes
network of relationships that helps to get
six qualities of leadership, including:
things done” (Mobilizer); “encouraging
Recognize Opportunities (Entrepreneur);
people to challenge the status quo,” and
Radiate Vision (Captivator); 80/20 Mindset
“be willing to challenge the system when
(Mobilizer); Get the ‘Right Stuff’ (Navigator);
change is needed” (Change Driver); and
Organizational Improvisers, to get the right

4
 people in the right place (Talent Advocate); senior leadership levels, competencies
and Learning Obsessed. Stuart Skorman, describe behaviorally specific skills and
CEO of Hungry Minds, an online learning abilities that impact effectiveness in those
company, includes personal attributes such leadership contexts.
as contending with constant change, drive
Both competencies and roles are important
innovation, and inspire and motivate
to effectively capture aspects of leadership
(Change Driver, Captivator) as key qualities
behavior. From a diagnostic perspective,
of leaders in the new economy. In describing
assessment of core competencies provides
Competencies for the New Century, Conger
an excellent framework for evaluating
& Benjamin (1999) describe the need for
specific strengths and development needs
future leaders to be Strategic opportunists
related to executive advancement or place-
(Strategist), Globally Adept (Global Thinker),
ment decisions. By using the nine roles
Keen Data Analysts (Navigator), and Learning
as a template for reviewing the challenges
Evangelists (Captivator). And finally, in a
or experiences the executive has faced,
1990 Industry Week article,Tom Peters
or is likely to face in upcoming assignments,
describes how chief executives in the com-
additional insights can be gained that are
ing decades will need to be, among other
useful in interpreting the application of
things, globalists (Global Thinker), network
competency evaluations, and helpful in
managers (Navigator), skill-base creators
shaping development. Typically, however,
(Talent Advocate), and seekers and lovers
once executives are determined to have
of change (Change Driver).
advancement potential by virtue of
strengths on key competencies, they
RELATIONSHIP OF ROLES TO
often are released into their new positions
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
without ever being provided with a full
Much of the writing about leadership appreciation of the various roles they will
describes the skills or behavior of leaders need to assume in applying their leadership
(competencies) rather than what they do skills. By looking both at competencies and
(roles). We believe both approaches are the roles, the highest priority development
necessary to fully develop leadership talent needs can be determined to fit current or
and that they are interrelated. As noted planned job challenges vis-a-vis the roles.
earlier, DDI’s nine roles are grounded in
extensive experience and research in To illustrate this point, imagine trying to
competency-based leadership assessment; train an athlete for the decathlon without
however, the nine leadership roles should ever describing the ten events. The training
would of necessity be focused on the skills
THE NINE ROLES OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
WHITE PAPER — WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO:

not be thought of as a replacement for

competencies. While the roles describe necessary for success, i.e., the “competen-
the “whats” of leadership, the competencies cies” of speed, strength, agility, coordination,
describe the “hows.” Competencies can etc. But without an appreciation for how
be thought of as the underlying skills or these skills need to come together and be
behavioral building blocks inherent in the applied in the various events or “situations”
situational-based roles. Thus, while roles the athlete will encounter, overall perform-
describe the various contexts in which ance will likely be sub-optimized. Similarly,
clusters of competencies are applied at many executives report that, after being in

5
 their positions for several months, there APPENDIX
were many aspects of their jobs that they
The Nine Roles of Senior
never expected and were not adequately Strategic Leadership
prepared to handle. They didn’t have a
NAVIGATOR—Clearly and quickly works
good understanding of the “events” or roles
through the complexity of key issues,
associated with applying their skills to the
problems and opportunities to affect
situations they encountered. Clearly, the
actions (e.g., leverage opportunities and
combination of competency-based diagnostic
resolve issues).
assessment and development based on
groupings of those competencies linked to Navigators analyze large amounts of
the nine strategic leadership roles, provides sometimes conflicting information. They
the most robust opportunity for building understand why things happen and identify
leadership bench strength. possible courses of action to affect events.
They know which factors really matter in
SUMMARY the overall scheme of things.
The leadership crisis is one of the most Illustrations
important issues facing businesses today.
> Identifies root causes quickly.
The effective identification, development
and deployment of senior strategic leaders > Displays a keen sense of priority,
are central to addressing this crisis. In addi- relevance, and significance.
tion to focusing on the skills or competencies > Integrates information from a variety of
important to leadership success, it also is sources and detects trends, associations,
important to understand the situations that and cause-effect relationships.
must be addressed or the roles strategic
> Creates relevant options for addressing
leaders must assume. DDI’s nine roles of
strategic leadership provide a useful frame- problems and opportunities and achiev-
work for understanding those situations. ing desired outcomes.
Furthermore, the linkage of competencies to > Translates complex situations into sim-
the nine roles provides very powerful and ple, meaningful explanations that others
unique insights that are helpful to address- can grasp.
ing this leadership crisis.
> Provides others with relevant context
DDI’s roles framework is a viable way to for work.
think about senior leadership activities. The
> Overcomes personal and organizational
application of these nine roles to leadership
THE NINE ROLES OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

biases in looking at data; avoids “not the

WHITE PAPER — WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO:

selection, development, and deployment

way we do it here” thinking.
decisions can have a significant impact on
the success of those leaders and, ultimately,
their businesses, as well.

6
 STRATEGIST—Develops a long-range > Turns threats (from competitors, govern-
course of action or set of goals to align ment policies, and new technologies)
with the organization’s vision. into business opportunities.
Strategists focus on creating a plan for the MOBILIZER—Proactively builds and
future. Part of this plan might involve capi- aligns stakeholders, capabilities, and
talizing on current opportunities and future resources for getting things done quickly
trends (Entrepreneur) and understanding and achieving complex objectives.
complex information related to future events Mobilizers gain the support and resources
(Navigator). Strategists make decisions that they need to accomplish goals.
drive the organization toward its vision.
Illustrations
Illustrations
> Leverages and integrates the capabilities
> Continuously looks beyond the of resources across all levels of the
current year. organization to accomplish complex,
> Perceives what drives the business. multiple-level objectives.
> Uses financial data for a successful > Anticipates and diffuses roadblocks to
business. desired goals.
> Grasps big-picture, enterprise-wide issues > Uses necessary and appropriate lobby-
across boundaries. ing techniques to gain support for
actions from decision-makers.
> Recognizes risks and pursues actions
that have acceptable levels of risk. > Utilizes creative networking approaches
to identify contacts who can help in
> Links the organization’s vision and val-
attaining goals.
ues to the business strategy.
> Develops alternative/contingency plans.
ENTREPRENEUR—Identifies and exploits
opportunities for new products, services, > Empowers others relative to achieving
and markets. the strategy.
Entrepreneurs are always alert for creative, TALENT ADVOCATE—Attracts, develops,
novel ideas. They might generate the ideas and retains talent to ensure that people
themselves or take existing opportunities or with the right skills and motivations to
proposals down a new path. Entrepreneurs meet business needs are in the right place
are able to look at events from a unique at the right time.
perspective and develop ideas that have
THE NINE ROLES OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
WHITE PAPER — WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO:

Talent Advocates ensure that the organiza-

never been thought of. tion has people with potential to meet
Illustrations present and future organizational needs.
> Takes calculated risks to capitalize Talent Advocates are less concerned with
on emerging trends. filling specific positions than with attracting
and retaining talented individuals.
> Looks beyond the boundaries of the
organization for new growth opportuni-
ties (partnerships, new technologies,
applications).

7
 Illustrations > Generates energy and enthusiasm
> Relentlessly identifies and secures through personal passion and conviction.
high-potential talent. > Keeps the message alive and ongoing.
> Identifies the best people (internal and GLOBAL THINKER—Integrates informa-
external), gets to know them, and stays tion from all sources to develop a well-
in touch with them.
informed, diverse perspective that can
> Links development assignments to be used to optimize organizational
current and future needs of the performance.
organization (as determined by the
business strategies). Global Thinkers understand and accept
international and cultural differences and
> Increases readiness of high-potential behave in a way that accommodates
talent by providing developmental
people’s varying perspectives. They also
opportunities.
discern differences in individual styles
> Minimizes barriers to achievement; and adapt their approaches accordingly.
maximizes the individual’s likelihood
for success. Illustrations

> Builds and facilitates a culture that > Considers the implications of issues,
embraces development. decisions, and opportunities beyond
the boundaries of own country/culture.
> Promotes employee retention by analyz-
ing and understanding its drivers. > Understands the different perspectives
and approaches in order to effectively
CAPTIVATOR—Builds passion and com-
handle cross-cultural challenges/individ-
mitment toward a common goal.
ual differences.
Captivators build upon an established foun-
> Identifies opportunities for global
dation of trust to instill people with feelings
leverage (for example, opportunities to
of excitement and belonging. Captivators
develop R&D strategy from a global
transfer the energy of their message in such
point of view).
a compelling way that people take ownership
of the strategy or vision and are empowered CHANGE DRIVER—Creates an environ-
to carry it out. ment that embraces change; makes change
happen—even if the change is radical—
Illustrations
and helps others to accept new ideas.
> Conveys a simple, vivid picture of the
organization’s vision and goals. Change Drivers focus on continuous
THE NINE ROLES OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
WHITE PAPER — WHAT SENIOR LEADERS DO:

improvement. Always challenging the status

> Moves people from compliance to
quo and breaking paradigms, they identify
commitment.
ideas for change and become the force
> Instills others with a strong sense of driving the change home.
belonging (they understand how they
will benefit).

8
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