By R.V. Baugus
As Principal of Alpharetta, Ga.-based Talent Effects, Inc. since 2002, Don Lang knows a thing or two about strategies for successful leadership. His company supports senior leadership teams who seek to increase their effectiveness in selecting, developing and advancing talent to realize sustainable business success.
Lang is also a Senior Lecturer in the Executive MBA Programs of Michael J. Coles College of Business at
Kennesaw State University.
Perhaps never more than today is the topic of successful leadership and strategies to get there so 
important as guests, venue staff, contractors, and more try their best to resume operations in a clean and successful manner. It is a session in which Lang will present at VenueConnect titled Becoming a 3X Strategic Leader.
There is always a demand for strong, strategic leaders. But what exactly do we mean by strategic? And how does a leader become more strategic? This session will explore “strategic” leadership from three skill perspectives: thinking, planning, and execution, and how a leader can sharpen skills in any or all of these areas to further increase career and organization success.
Before Don moves on to his 3X session, we caught him for 1X to discuss the presentation and why the room should be packed.
Based on your session title, can you share briefly the role of thinking, planning, and execution when it comes to being a strategic leader?
It’s not uncommon to think of leadership and strategy from the standpoint of strategic planning, yet planning is only one element of a leader’s strategy skills or perspective. Effective leaders are skilled at thinking, planning, and execution and demonstrate those skills concurrently and continuously. The world is moving too quickly to sequence these strategic actions independently or to do so on a periodic basis.
How in your role at Kennesaw State University do you demonstrate these three skills?
As the faculty lead for leadership, teaming, and coaching topics in the Executive MBA program, I continuously scan the environment for issues/trends/challenges facing business leaders to identify key learning points. I consider options to create an action learning class environment and facilitate meaningful applied activities to build understanding and skills around those topics.
Strategic can be an overused and at times a word bordering on cliche. What definition would you give to the word?
Agree, strategic is sometimes a word bordering on cliche! Let’s begin with leadership. Leadership is about creating value. Strategic leadership requires seeing and understanding broader definitions of value, the tensions of organizational life, and the cultural and organizational competencies that produce desired financial results. Strategic is about seeing and understanding the range of organizational options for creating value, assessing cultural/organizational competencies, and deciding on and leveraging the right implementation actions.
What are some of the consequences for those who choose not to be strategic in the manner you have described for your session?
Without understanding the range of value creating options, leaders may limit their decision-making and, as a result, their organization’s future viability.
How about a major takeaway or two you would like to have your audience go home with?
Two takeaways: 1.) a framework for understanding and managing competing values in your organization and 2.) key actions to develop your strategic thinking, planning and execution.
