Word-Action Signals: Identifying Incongruence between Strategic Leadership Practices and Values

As strategic leaders are charged with the responsibility to bring “change and improvement,” they are also charged with the responsibility to find the potential trouble spots within organizations and remove or correct them as soon as possible. The strategic leader is then ultimately responsible to “affect the follower’s attitudes, values, assumptions, and commitments and thus…bring them more closely in line with those of the organizations.” Therefore, strategic organizations must not have incongruence between the strategic leader’s practices and values thus stalling the projects advancement. The strategic leaders and followers must be in “values” agreement if the organization is going to move forward with confidence and commitment and ultimately bring growth and project advancement. The goal of this article is to highlight the hidden disconnects and hindrances for project advancement by strategic leaders and organizations.