In business, if you are managing people in any way, shape or form - you are clearly expected to be a leader of your team/tribe, but leadership is rarely, if ever, included in your job title and by implication (from the jump) leadership responsibilities are promoted as secondary. We are playing catch-up to the "ideal" - of managers who are good leaders from the second they are hired.
I know it is hard to change the world, nix that, a word - but it seems as if it would be a great service to indicate at the start that these jobs include both, and both are equally important.
Leadership is a term for a “role” – that one seeks, is thrust upon or back-doors into, and is brought into play when one is speaking about the influence/interactions/ impact upon others. Management is an accepted term for a “job” - that one can get… to control/build/buy/et all, things. You can be a leader without management responsibilities, which is called a figurehead. If you have no other person within your span of influence (operating a street-cart) then you can manage things without being a leader.
If you have the job of “a manager” which includes supervision of others then you are expected to show some iota of leadership skills, as it will be “on you” to get the group to pull together (without breaking apart) and accomplish the tasks set forth. There are many good managers who are bad leaders and many (short lived) acceptable leaders who are bad managers.
It is important to make a distinction between the two for illustrative purposes and instruction. Even though common belief holds that they are conjoined twins, they are in fact dizygotic twins. The same mother but difficult and different skill sets.
The developmental benchmarks (or acumen) you should focus on are the equivalent of possessing a strong right and left arm, a quick left and right brain, and effective leadership (soft) and management (hard) skills. The more you utilize all of your resources, the easier it will be to respond to the inevitable forthcoming peaks and valleys of business.
Think of it this way: If you are in business with others, you are in hot pursuit of business coordination, a graceful exhibition of leadership and management (despite their differences) balancing in motion. The demonstrable necessity of business coordination, or a blending of leadership and management, is not acknowledged by staying on the manager side of the river.
CEO Leadagers LLC
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