Are You a Leader or a Manager? There's a Difference
The terms leadership and management
are often used interchangeably, but there is a huge difference between a leader
and a manager.
Leaders aren't always managers and
vise versa. It is a rare individual that is both of these things. They have
very different skill sets, both critical to success at a high-growth business.
Understanding who your leaders are
and who your managers are will help you create an organizational structure that
not only addresses core business functions and needs but also morale and
culture, which are equally if not more important. It will also help you
identify where there might be gaps or people in the wrong "seats on the
bus," to quote Jim Collins.
Leaders have a unique ability to
rally employees around a vision. Because their belief in the vision is so
strong, employees will naturally want to follow them. Leaders also tend to be
willing to take risks in pursuit of the vision.
Managers, on the other hand, are
more adept at executing the vision in a very systemic way and directing
employees on how to do so. They can see all of the intricate moving parts and
understand how to make them harmonize. Managers are usually very risk-adverse.
Deep down, a lot of entrepreneurs
are leaders and not managers. I'm one of those. I don't think that I manage
well, and if I had to focus solely on that it would be extremely painful for
all involved. Conversely, if a manager is expected to lead a company, that
company will be managed into a nice, tidy grave.
It's true that some managers can
inspire and some leaders can systemically execute, but these are not their core
strengths. For a start-up, the entrepreneur really has no choice but to be both
leader and manager, which is usually okay since it's probably just him/her and
one or two others. Understanding which you are will help you make important,
early choices about whom you need to grow that complement your strengths and
ensure the success of your business.
Curt Richardson http://www.inc.com/curt-richardson/are-you-a-leader-or-a-manager-theres-a-difference.html?cid=em01013week24a
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