This paper is based on the assumption that many texts and programmes of study on strategic management either ignore or address only vaguely the issue of defining strategic management, or promulgate the author/designer's unhelpfully narrow viewpoint. It provides a multi-perspective view of strategic management which more nearly reflects its practice, and is more helpful to the development of strategic management skills. It discusses the confusion about what `strategic management' means and examinesit as a concept which embraces the approaches of a range of theoretically espoused leader-types. This view is then contrasted with `this is the only way' and `specific leader style to fit specific strategic context' prescriptions. The paper concludes by discussing implications raised for practitioner and student strategists and their skills development supporters.