TO LEAD OR MANAGE?

 

The ability to wear both hats interchangeably will be highly sought after.  Leaders and manager have one thing in common – they lead or manage teams.

Manager vs Leader

(Warren Bennis, 1989, On Becoming A Leader)

Manager	Leader
Administers	Innovates
Copy	Original
Maintains	Develops
Focuses on systems and structure	Focuses on people
Relies on control	Inspires trust
Has a short-range view	Has a long-range view
Asks how and when	Asks what and why
Has eyes on the bottom line	Eyes on the horizon
Imitates	Originates
Accepts status quo	Challenges status quo
The classic good soldier	His or her own person
Does things right	Does the right thing

 

Not all managers are leaders.  Some managers may never become leaders.  There are six (6) areas as the first step in transition process from manager to leader:

1.         Something bigger than themselves

A leader usually has a cause to champion.  This includes something they feel needs to be changed or innovated.

2.         A strategic mindset

A potential leader would also benefit from developing a more strategic view of the business.  They need to understand how the manager’s role adds value to the organization.  With the ability to see the bigger picture, better decisions can be made to benefit the business.

3.         Ability to multitask effectively

Most leaders have the innate ability to deal with many things at once.  Multitasking effectively deals more with being able to group similar tasks together and work on more than one item at a time.

4.         Recognizing trends

A leader is generally able to see patterns and trends in seemingly unimportant data.  They are able to make sense of information whilst manager are often only capable of data gathering and some basic analysis.

5.         Long term vs short term

Leaders have a long term views of company’s direction and the macro factors that affect the business.  Their broader view gives them an added advantage when dealing with obstacle.  They are able to see beyond the immediate issue and make more informed decisions.

6.         Ability to communicate effectively

Communication is without doubt the most important skill a leader must develop.  A leader should be able to communicate in a clear message whilst being tactful and direct at the same time.  They need to have sufficient foresight and empathy.

Organizations need both manages and leaders for sustainable success.  Leaders are the one we usually see in the limelight.  They are highly influential in an organization.  They are also the one inspiring the team with their good performance, passion or superb knowledge.

Leaders are not the ones who would get into the details and execution of projects.  This is where organizations would require the skills and expertise of good managers to fill the gaps.

 

Shared from:

StarBiz, Tuesday 11 June 2013

Talking HR by Pauline Ng

ARE YOU A MANAGER OR A LEADER?