Strategic Apex Leader Scripts and an Organisational Life Cycle Approach to Leadership and Excellence

Abstract

This article examines top level management leadership and its impact on organisational excellence. An organisational life cycle model of leadership is developed which posits that top level leadership requirements differ across different stages of an organisation's life cycle. Such requirements are expanded to include not only those with subordinates but those with external stakeholders. We argue that top managers operate from leadership scripts and utilise judgemental heuristics which tend to drive their leader behaviour and make it difficult to change in order to meet the differing life cycle requirements. A number of strategies that can be used to change these scripts and judgemental heuristics as required are discussed.

Citation

Hunt, J.G., Baliga, B.R. and Peterson, M.F. (1988), "Strategic Apex Leader Scripts and an Organisational Life Cycle Approach to Leadership and Excellence", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 7 No. 5, pp. 61-83. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb051692