Simone Biles is the epitome of what we at the Goff Strategic Leadership Center call a Strategic Leader. By leveraging the self-awareness she had cultivated in her many years of training, she made the difficult decision to drop out of competition, ultimately leading Team USA to earn a coveted Olympic silver medal in 2021. And, Biles was relentless in creating value, coming back after two years to claim her 8th U.S. National Championship and her 6th all-around title at the world championships.

The Goff Strategic Leadership Center theorizes that successful strategic leaders demonstrate skills across six specific dimensions (what we refer to as the Six Principles of Strategic Leadership). This model of leadership indicates that competence in these six areas contributes to high levels of individual, team, and organizational success. Research conducted by faculty members at the University of Utah provides insights into each of these principles, and describes specific strategies for how leaders can apply these principles.

Among other things, the Six Principles of Strategic Leadership model asserts that strategic leaders should cultivate self-awareness, personal agility, and continual growth and maintain a relentless focus on creating value. Few could argue that all Olympic athletes display self-awareness, agility, and growth in their careers as they train tirelessly to meet the literal world-class standards of their sport. Biles’ lived experiences — both personally and professionally — have shown this in spades, as she navigated changing family dynamics and a demanding gymnastics training schedule.