Posted by “Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.” – Stephen Covey
I have often stated that good managers by keeping things going enable good leaders to focus on keeping things growing. Great leaders cannot build successful organizations without the stability that high-quality managers provide.
“Managers are much more likely to focus on ensuring that a company’s day-to-day business gets done. At the same time, leaders use their imagination and vision to look for rewards and opportunities and fire up their team’s creative process.
In short, the goals of managers tend to arise out of necessity, while the goals of leaders result from an active and personal attitude of growth. Companies need both managers and leaders to survive and thrive.” (1)
High-Quality Leaders and Managers
High-quality leaders and managers take the initiative, make good decisions, and secure their personnel’s buy-in of the organization’s vision.
High-quality leaders and managers
- Are protective of their organizational culture
- Know how to bring out the best in their teams
- Enable efficient team members to hold themselves accountable
- Can make good impromptu decisions in times of uncertainty
- Know how to reproduce themselves in others
Leading and Managing Relationally
Both leaders and managers take it upon themselves to enable others to reach their potential, both build strong relational connections with those they serve, often transcending the five-day workweek. High-quality leaders and managers possess integrity and loyalty that carries influence beyond the business relationships.
In his book The 5 Levels of Leadership, John Maxwell says, “Connecting is having the ability to identify with and relate to people in such a way that it increases your influence with them… if you want people to be positive and to always be glad when they see you coming, encourage them. If you become the chief encourager of the people on your team, they will work hard and strive to meet your expectations.”
Leaders
“Leadership is the creation of an environment in which others are able to self-actualize in the process of completing the job.” – John Mellecker
Good leaders lay out the strategy and set the course toward the vision. Leaders train and empower people to “think on their feet” making important decisions.
Good leaders have integrity; they engender trust, and they’re honest with themselves and their teams. Good leaders are decisive, willing to listen to others, and remain consistent in difficult situations. Inspiring leaders inspire others, it’s contagious!
John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
Managers
“The first rule of management is delegation. Don’t try and do everything yourself because you can’t.” – Anthea Turner.
Good managers receive their written game plan and take on the responsibility of walking their team through the process of planning, organizing, overseeing, and guiding them to achieve the desired outcome.
As a manager in my twenties, I was seen as a friend, mentor/coach, consistently achieving employee buy-ins, open to listening, vocal, and demonstrating that “we’re in it together,” and with simple clarity set goals and objectives.
James Cash Penney observed, “The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication, and clear communication is necessary to management success.”
In Closing
Management expert Peter Drucker believed good managers “should be leaders at heart, possess quality people skills, and become acquainted with psychology, science, and religion.
Being relational requires that managers and leaders hold themselves to high ethical and moral principles. In the end, good leaders must know how to manage, and good managers must know how to lead.” (2)
Whether you’re a leader or a manager, remember the most important fact, it’s all about the quality of knowing and being known by those around you that sets good leaders and managers apart from the rest.
End Notes
(1) The Similarities and Differences Between Leadership and Management https://bit.ly/3GKXVUc
(2) Management – Peter Drucker
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