In recent years, companies and organizations all over the world have been dealing with a volatile business environment, which changes from day to day and at a very high intensity. This complexity of the business environment has increased dozens of times in our districts following the ongoing and branching war, which is piling up very great difficulties on the managers of Israeli companies.
Conducting in an "emergency routine" is anything but a return to routine
Apparently, an emergency routine has developed here in recent months, but this routine does not reflect the situation of many Israelis and beyond that, it is frequently violated in accordance with new developments and directions of the war.
The questions and dilemmas every day (and night) in recent months are big, difficult and existential. The managers of the Israeli companies have the responsibility of leading the organizations to success even in these months of war, extreme instability and frequent changes.
Managers of large and small companies are required to make quick and significant decisions alongside the feeling of loss of stability at the personal, managerial, organizational and national level. In order to increase the sense of security, the managers are required to deal both within the organization, in front of the employees and managers, and also outside the organization, in front of the customers and stakeholders.
The great challenge of managers in Israel
Dr. Tali Thani Harari/Ilan Bandana
The biggest management challenge of Israeli organizations today is the ability to lead a clear and consistent strategy even in a changing and turbulent environment. Precisely now, when everything is so fragile, when it is difficult to understand where the war is progressing and what will happen in the near future in Israel, the need to adhere to the strategy arises. The faster reality changes, the greater the uncertainty, the greater the changes, all of these actually increase the need for a strategy.
A strategy that defines the allocation of resources for the purpose of obtaining a competitive advantage and fulfilling the company's goals - is the one that will help managers to be more effective and advance the organization in the desired direction, even when reality changes. Paradoxically, it is precisely the strategy that helps the organization to be more flexible and allows the organization and the managers to deal much better and much faster with the changes.
Thus, this challenging period obliges the management avenue in every organization in Israel for extremely determined strategic leadership. Determined strategic leadership means effective management of strategic processes even in times of crisis, without returning to the starting point with every fluctuation and change.
Strategic leadership, lines for her image
Determined strategic leadership means knowing how to find the necessary balances between maintaining adherence to the strategy and creating consistency and making the necessary adjustments to the changing reality. This is the required balance between stability and reactivity: the strategy forms the basis for every decision in the organization, but at the same time the organization checks, is flexible and responds.
A strategy that focuses on a leading central value, with a clear and unequivocal strategic focus is a strategy that allows the company to be effectively promoted in a period of rapid changes. The strategic focus allows the company to maintain consistency over time - both internally - in front of the managers and employees and externally - in front of all relevant stakeholders - consumers, shareholders, suppliers and partners.
The focus that allows you to maintain balance
The strategic focus transmits strength and resilience and improves the company's ability to produce targeted collaborations, allowing it to be more flexible and adapt to changes around it.
It requires the use of data, a systematic analysis of the environment and a careful examination of the developing trends, so that it will be possible to constantly examine the innovations and adjustments required to the core value in order to better deal with external changes.
Moreover, the focus on the strategic focus allows the company to pay attention to new opportunities even in a crisis period, and to make the most of the opportunities while making decisions quickly and efficiently.
In addition, a strategy focused on a clear core value may help increase organizational connectedness. A strategic focus that is also translated into the values and norms of the company may increase the sense of meaning of the managers and the employees and improve their sense of connection to the organization in which they work.
The strategic leadership that seeks to advance the company to success even during a crisis requires commitment and adherence to the strategic focus. The strategic leadership must consistently promote the implementation of the strategy and its assimilation in the company, as a basis for decision-making among all officials, in all the activities of the company, at all levels and in all interfaces.
In conclusion, what will change this Passover?
In one word: a lot. The words freedom and slavery have new meanings and great hope. Beyond personal and national thoughts this Passover, it's time to think about how to bring your determination, leadership and strategy to expression.
Dr. Tali Thani-Harari is the Head of the Master's Degree Department (MBA), School of Business Administration, Peres Academic Center