Leadership

Leadership vs. Management "I think leadership is more about HOW we do things and management is the daily practice of ensuring a team and company is optimally successful. I do not believe that certain tasks are leadership and others are management. I do not believe [sic] that certain jobs are leadership and others are management." Leadership is the WHAT and WHY we do things while management deals with the WHO, WHEN, WHERE. Leadership establishes the direction of the organization and management handles the logistics needed to get it there. Leadership establishes the vision; management provides the hands. Leadership inspires and cheerleads; management coaches. Leadership inspires others to go beyond what they thought they could do while management gets others to do what they need to do. Leaders blaze the trail while managers keep the trails open and supply lines strong. Leaders are able to rise above the fray to see the entire campaign while managers concentrate on the battles at hand. Managers concentrate on this day, week, or month while leaders are already living in the next one, two, or five years ahead. Managers get things done; Leaders plan what things need to get done. Managers climb the ladders; Leaders make sure the ladders are against the right walls. I do believe that certain jobs and responsibilities belong to leadership and others to management. I also believe, however, that good leaders keep communication lines with management open so that their input can be considered as leadership considers and plans its next actions. These beliefs do not negate the fact that one individual may fill either role in different contexts. One may be a leader in one campaign while filling manager shoes in another. In fact, unless we sign the paychecks, it's likely that we play both roles within our organization. But while one is in the "leader" role, there are different responsibilities, tasks, and skills that are utilized and brought to bear than when one is acting as a manager. That being said, I do concede that the roles of leaders and managers sometimes cross and the line that delineates the two positions sometimes gets blurred. I contend, however, that the degree to which the roles overlap are indirectly proportionate to the level that the individual leader/manager holds within the organization. The higher the position, the smaller (or non-existent) the overlap. As Peter Drucker once proclaimed, management is doing things right — improving operational performance, maximizing revenues, and reducing expenses while increasing artistic production values and audience appreciation. Leadership is doing the right things — setting organizational priorities and allocating human and fiscal resources to fulfill the organization’s vision. As a leader you can’t impose motivation, but you can create an environment where people want to maximize their successes. One way of doing this is framing the future for them though a vision statement. However, without a leader communicating the message

in a relevant and meaningful way, a vision statement is worth less than the paper it’s written on. When communicating your vision, start by describing the present situation. This is where you are now. Acknowledge efforts, actions and contributions by individuals and teams. Be prepared when describing the current situation to pre-empt negative reactions from the team. For example, if you know there is anger over a new travel policy, acknowledge it. In order to take the audience on a journey – you need to prove that you are well aware of where the business is today, both the good and the bad. Next, describe a desirable future position. This is where you want the company or group to be, or what you want to achieve. Make sure you include a time frame – 6 months, 2 years, 10 years or beyond. Also, include both rational and emotional elements to describe the future. The rational could be the size of the organization, sales targets, or the numbers of countries in which you operate. The emotional elements inspire people’s feelings, pride, and sense of accomplishment. They also can appeal to teamwork, values, or other altruistic intentions. A good vision message will touch both the hearts and minds of your audience. The last part of your message should detail the method of achieving the vision. This is the ‘how we are going to get there’ part. Talk about the broad strategies that will move the business from the existing position to the aspiration. Some audiences need more detail particularly those key teams or individuals who will be accountable for the execution of strategies. Explain the core actions, critical success factors, achievement points and dates. This is where you need to convince to your team that you have a well-crafted plan. As a leader it’s your responsibility to create an environment that is motivational. Do this by framing a visionary message and by communicating it in a way that creates a personal connection with each individual.