Follow the Leader
Apologies for not sending a message last week but we were in Cleveland for Kim’s family reunion. While few would consider Ohio a hotbed for fun, we had a wonderful week, spending time with Kim’s relatives, playing golf, playing cards and eating and drinking far too much.
Chip and I have been taking about the differences between being a manager and a leader. I think there are some subtle yet important distinctions that a lot of people either don’t consider or fully appreciate. I’ve had the opportunity to work for a lot of great managers, people that were genuinely focused on our business, people development, my well-being and seemed to always deliver positive results, regardless of the metrics. These are people whose names you’ll remember and cherish forever because they truly made an impact to your growth, career path and probably helped you reach your goals, whether they be financial, promotional or something else. And as much as I admired and appreciated everything they did to further my career, in some cases, as good as they were as managers, they weren’t good leaders. Ask them to address a specific question or need, resolve a customer issue or fix a commission issue, they were all over it. Ask them about their goals and plans to scale the business, increase headcount for the team or create partnerships with other vendors, not so much.
Leadership focuses on setting a vision for the company or group or team, inspiring and motivating others to achieve a larger goal. It involves leading by example, fostering innovation and, most importantly, promoting long-term strategic thinking. Leadership places a high emphasis on people because there is a longer lens on the value of these relationships. Leaders focus on empowering individuals, building trust and creating a positive work culture. Often times, leaders are also asked to drive change within an organization or culture, and have to be advocates for innovation. The ability to respond to challenges, obstacles as well as seizing opportunities are signs of strong leadership. It is important to note that leadership should be chartered with a long-term perspective and focuses on the overall direction and success of the organization. Leaders consider the future and guide the organization towards sustainable growth and development. Finally, leadership is primarily based on influence and inspiration rather than formal authority. Leaders gain respect and followership through their vision, communication skills, and personal qualities. They can lead without having a formal hierarchical position.
With managers, the focus is much more short term; what is immediately in front of them. Management is concerned with implementing the vision set by leaders, organizing resources, coordinating activities, and ensuring the efficient execution of tasks and processes. These are much more short-term focused deliverables, such as a project, sales quotas or other objectives with a timeline. Managers assign tasks, monitor progress and ensure that work is completed on time and within budget. With regards to staffing, managers have the power to make decisions on the spot, allocate resources and direct the activities of others based on their position in the organizational hierarchy.
While leadership and management have distinct characteristics, effective leaders often possess managerial skills, and effective managers often demonstrate leadership qualities. The most successful individuals in organizations are often those who can combine both leadership and management abilities to create a balance between inspiring people and achieving operational goals. As you start considering your next promotion and assess your personal qualifications, it is important to understand the differences between being a great manager and a great leader. You may be excellent at meeting or exceeding expectations, but that doesn’t mean you’ll make a great leader. You need to hone this skill and be acutely aware of your decision making process. While the skills are different, they are not mutually exclusive. As you sit in meetings with executives, consider their decision making process, why they do the things they do. Decisions that are not intuitive and obvious may have an underlying strategic element that will behoove you to understand as you develop.
Here is a summary illustrating the differences between leaders and managers.
