Management and leadership are not the same thing

So, you’re a “manager”.

First of all, don’t be. A manger, that is.

As we’ve discussed already, leaders and managers differ in their approach to motivating people. Management is often about directing and prodding people (the way the shepherd and his sheep dogs prod the sheep); its about keeping a group of people within a predefined set of parameters to produce a product or service in the way that it has always been produced. It can require a lot of effort on the manager’s part; the manager pushes those around him to produce. Not that the manager is a bully, but the idea of pushing here should be contrasted with what happens when people are led: they follow under their own energy.

Management is a necessary part of most organizations, and there are definite functions in which it can exist successfully apart from leadership. For example, in technology companies, the infrastructure teams (those responsible for the physical plant, manufacturing facilities, office space, etc.) and operators (often hourly workers who monitor terminals in large computer centers for signs of trouble and call in administrators to address the problems) are in charge of functions that can be successfully managed. Innovation isn’t usually expected in these areas, even in really forward-thinking organizations.

However, even these functions can be led from success to excellence by someone willing to do the job differently than it’s always been done. People inclined only to management are a dime a dozen, and there are precious few functions that can be only managed and still achieve meaningful success. A leader, on the other hand, is a much scarcer commodity, and his or her leadership can be used anywhere to advantage.

I personally think that managers are a dime a dozen because management looks easy. And, it is easy to do at the low level of performance at which most people practice this craft. Don’t be fooled: good managers are as rare as giant, perfect gemstones.

Once you feel like you are getting your head around what leadership is all about leadership, you should study this craft as well. Do both well, and you can be president of your world.