Former Navy SEAL and a previous guest on the podcast, Marty Strong, is back with more insightful leadership thinking and a new book: Be Visionary: Strategic Leadership in the Age of Optimization. Marty continues to challenge received wisdom and shines a light on what he describes as the forgotten leadership skill of creativity. With habits that will open our minds and broaden our horizons, Marty’s approach envisages a leadership future full of humility, creative exploration, collaboration and innovation that solidifies into successful strategy and execution. It is a delight to have Marty’s unique perspective back on the podcast!
Get off the treadmill to start your leadership exploration
Why you should listen: Visionary leadership can be learned
Go on a leadership vision quest - what does next week/month/year look like?
We explore the attributes of visionary leadership
Seek out other leadership perspectives
Strong leadership is required to turn a vision into a strategy
Be intellectually curious and humble - there’s always something to learn.
Visionary leadership leads to strategic action. To get clear on leveraging your people's talent and building their strategic capability, join me for my Fit for the Future leadership event in May.
Key moments
3:00 The forgotten creative brain
8:20 Flicking the creative switch
12:00 The difference between visionary and strategic leadership
16:16 Qualities, values and mindset
18:45 Join us in Amplifiers™️ Academy
19:20 Spotting trends as a leader
25:15 Sourcing diverse inputs - stay curious!
28:00 Habits for developing strategic thinking
32:50 Strategic thinking in the age of optimisation
36:50 Exciting trends - divergent thinking
42:00 The brain beyond ‘flow’
46:00 Zoe’s takeaways
From Zoë - Your Next Action Steps:
Do an audit of your leadership values and virtues. What do you need to develop?
Create your leadership vision: where do you want to end up? Think 20-30 years from now. Reverse engineer from there.
Look for success: what other industries or businesses are doing well. Find out who the leader is and reach out.
About Marty Strong
Marty Strong has been a leader and business consultant for decades, first in uniform as a combat-decorated Navy SEAL, and then in commercial business.
Marty is a thought provoking writer, speaker, coach and media commentator.
He is the author of Be Nimble: How the Creative Navy SEAL Mindset Wins on the Battlefield and in Business.
His latest book is Be Visionary: Strategic Leadership in the Age of Optimization.
Find out more about Marty at www.martystrongbenimble.com.
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About your host, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Zoë Routh is a leadership futurist, podcaster, and multiple award-winning author. She works with leaders and teams to navigate future horizons.
She has worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and the Boardroom jungles, Zoë is an adventurist! She facilitates strategy and culture sessions with audacious teams.
Zoë's fourth leadership book, People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems: An advanced handbook for leadership, won the Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards in 2020. Her fifth book is a near future science fiction dystopian novel, The Olympus Project.
Zoë is the producer of the Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking “What if…?” and sharing Big Ideas on the Future of Leadership.
Zoë is an outdoor adventurist and enjoys telemark skiing, has run six marathons, is a one-time belly-dancer, has survived cancer, and loves hiking in the high country. She is married to a gorgeous Aussie and is a self-confessed dark chocolate addict.