Best Practices_ Managing People_ Secrets to Leading for New Managers - Barry Silverstein [26]
THE NATURE OF LEADERSHIP
Perhaps management guru Peter Drucker said it best when he drew the distinction between leading and managing: “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Generally, the focus of managers is driven by organizational needs: accomplishing specific goals and objectives, conforming to specifications or requirements, managing projects within budgets and time frames, administering policies and procedures, controlling processes, and managing work groups.
“It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy—if the leader really believes that people can do more, they’ll expect more from themselves. People can accomplish unbelievable tasks if their leader expects them to and communicates it by behavior, not just by words or memos.”
—Robert Townsend, author of Reinventing Leadership
Leaders, on the other hand, set the direction for people in an organization—and for the organization itself. Leaders establish a vision, formulate strategies, take a long view of problems and opportunities, originate ideas, innovate new ways of doing things, and inspire and motivate others.
Outside the Box
WHAT’S YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE?
Good leaders tend not to rely on a single approach but use a mix of these three basic styles:
Authoritarian–Authoritarian leaders tell people what needs to be done and when, without asking for others’ opinions. This style may be appropriate during crisis situations.
Participative–Participative leaders encourage others to help solve problems and make decisions while they retain the ultimate authority.
Delegative–Delegative leaders offer employees a lot of leeway in solving problems and making decisions and are largely hands-off.
What Managers and Leaders Do
There is a legitimate need for both managers and leaders in a business.
Managers execute plans, maintain order, and get things done. They are skilled, competent, and no less important than leaders. Without effective managers, few businesses could operate efficiently. However, managers may resist change, and they may be less capable of guiding and mentoring people.
Dos & Dont’s
LEADERSHIP TIPS
Leadership begins with modeling the right behavior.
Do create and communicate a vision that is inspiring.
Do present the long-range view of future problems and opportunities.
Do develop excellent communication skills.
Do stay positive and upbeat.
Don’t ignore the fact that people need to be managed as well as led.
Do understand your own beliefs and values before you try to inspire and motivate others.
Leaders are charismatic, motivational, and inspiring. They are skillful at leading people into the future. Without a leader, a business may plod along but never achieve greatness. However, leaders can embrace change to a fault and may be inept at the rigors of implementation.
To be truly successful at managing people, you need skills both as a manager and a leader.
The people you manage will want order, routine, and structure. They will want you to set specific goals and objectives. They will want someone who can guide them as team members to complete multiple projects efficiently. That is the management side.
At the same time these people will look to you to lead, inspire, and motivate them. They will want you to serve as a team leader, the person who communicates goals, guides their progress, and cares for them along the way. That is the leadership side.
Can You Be Both Manager and Leader?
You will probably find that your capabilities lean more towards one than the other. Work on developing complementary skills that grow your strength in both areas.
It is generally more difficult to learn to lead than to learn to manage. While you can acquire leadership skills, some of the requirements of leadership may be deep down inside. Before you can inspire and motivate others, you must have a good