Strategic Change: Case Study

Strategic Change: Case Study

University of Phoenix

LDR/531Organizational Leadership

Strategic Change: Case Study

Mastering leadership offers explanations of what it takes to be great leaders and how to create global creative organization. There are many organizations that have proven to be global creative organizations. “The ongoing discovery and exploration of our sense of purpose is the central discipline of the Creative, Self-Authoring Mind and the starting place for true leadership.” (Anderson and Adam, 2018). The organization that I have found to be a global creative organization and will discuss in this paper is Walmart. Walmart is one of the most recognizable retailer store chain in the world and that is in part do to their leadership. This paper will also discuss how Walmart meet the criterial as explained in Mastering Leadership of being a creative organization. The leadership style of Walmart top managers has brought about opportunities of the organization for strategic change.

Mastering Leadership

According to Anderson and Adam (2016), “Creative Leadership is about creating an organization that we believe in, creating outcomes that matter most, and enhancing our collective capacity to create a desired future. It is designed for change, to bring into being what is envisioned.” Walmart leadership focus on making a different in the lives of its customer. Making shopping fast, easy and convenient. Bringing a variety of shopping experience in under one roof, where you can go grocery shopping, get an oil change, pick up medicine from the pharmacy, and get you eyes check all in one visit. Walmart leadership did not skip a beat when they were aiming to meet the needs of its customers, especially when the introduce home grocery delivery that offer fresh grocery orders online with same day delivery. Walmart also provide many other useful services for its customers, like price match, online shopping, free shipping to stores, product care plan, baby and wedding registries, phone trade-in program and tech support on electronics.

Global Creative Organization

Walmart has been in the forefront of it competitors by being a global creative organization who goal is to meet the needs of its communities. “At Walmart, we are committed to using our size and scale for good. Not just for our customers, or even our associates, suppliers, and their families, but also for the people in our communities and around the world that we will never meet.” (Walmart.com, 2018). Walmart aim to satisfy everyone, they are not limited to a certain area or country. This goes hand and hand with being a great leader by focusing on the world and how they can please people of diverse background, different religion, different culture, and so forth. From the beginning, Walmart founder and owner had a purpose and a vision of giving people good shopping experience by selling more for less. “From the beginning, Sam Walton surrounded himself with the kind of people who had big ideas and weren’t afraid to take risk and bring those ideas to life. Walmart has elevated and been guided by leaders like these, who constantly inspire us to achieve the next level of success.” (Walmart.com, 2018). This is a prime example of what being a great leader is all about, taking risk and making dreams a reality. “The Creative Mind starts from purpose and vision, not with a problem. There are plenty of problems to deal with as we create the futures we want, but the driving focus is on creating a vision that we care about, a vision worthy of our deepest commitment.” (Anderson and Adams, 2016).

Criteria for Mastering Leadership

One criteria for mastering leadership is to have a purpose for what you do. Sam Walton purpose was to serve customers with great value and great customer service. He had a passion for what he was trying to do which help him to achieve his goal and vision. Anderson and Adam (2016) states that “As passion grows, the tendency to take the action necessary to creating our desired future also grows. As we take action to create what we want, we either get closer to our vision or clearer about it. The purpose for Sam Walton starting company was to provide its customers with great service while providing them with the products they love at a low price. Walmart official company’s purpose is “If we work together, we’ll lower the cost of living for everyone…we’ll give the world an opportunity to see what it’s like to save and have a better life.” (Walmart.com, 2018). Vision is another practice in for developing creative leadership and Walmart founder had the vision to that evolved into one of the world’s most popular retailer. Every credible authority on leadership describes vision as the centerpiece of effective leadership, Anderson and Adams, 2016). Walmart vision of helping others set a standard for company that lives on today. Sam Walton has also showed himself to be authentic and courageous by being the first to many things and going in cities and countries that’s its competitors was afraid to. He created new and innovative products and ideas that have become a staple at Walmart. “As the stores grew, so did Sam’s aspirations. In addition to bringing new approaches and technologies to retail, he also experimented with new store formats—including Sam’s Club and the Walmart Supercenter—and even made the decision to take Walmart into Mexico. Sam’s fearlessness in offering lower prices and bringing Walmart’s value to customers in the U.S. and beyond,” (Walmart.com, 2018). Walmart leadership were developed through the practice of the criterial that Mastering Leadership have stated in chapter 11.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Walmart meet the criteria for mastering leadership and is a organization that is global creative for their customers all over the world. “Mr. Sam,” as he was known, believed in leadership through service. This belief that true leadership depends on willing service was the principle on which Walmart was built, and drove the decisions the company has made for the past 50 years. (Walmart.com, 2018), The leadership that Walmart display on a daily basis has made the organization very successful and competitive.

References

Adams, W. A., Anderson, J. J. (2016). Mastering Leadership: An Integrated Framework for

Breakthrough Performance and Extraordinary Busines Results, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley

& Sons

Walmart (2018). Retrieved from Walmart.com 2018