Challenges of the Future

Successful organizational leaders recognize that their organizations exist within a dynamic environment that presents both opportunities and threats to their organizations. The importance of continuously monitoring both the task and general environments of an organization is a primary role and responsibility of senior leaders and managers which must be recognized and embraced. Environmental scanning activities can be used to identify the present and likely future environmental opportunities and threats that astute, visionary leaders must understand and act upon. You will recall that successful strategic management involves building on organizational strengths and addressing organizational weaknesses, while pursuing environmental opportunities and avoiding environmental threats.