Orchestrating Success

Orchestrating Success


OS 018 - Stupid Leadership Traps #2: Managing vs Leading

October 19, 2016

Life is divided into three terms - that which was, which is, and which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit by the present, and from the present, to live better in the future. - William Wordsworth



Profit is not about the money. This is leadership redefined.



Read the transcripts at hughballoupodcast.com



You manage things; you lead people. —Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper


This



is a curious debate. Many in academia use management as the title for business leadership programs. For example, a well-known large university in my town offers a degree in management in the business school and allows for a minor in leadership, which is under the college of life sciences and agriculture. Fortunately, the professor leading that program understands leadership and knows how to apply it in a practical way. I don’t feel that a degree in management qualifies a person to lead an organization, a team, or a project. Its basis is in other areas.


As Stephen Covey points out, we manage time and lead people…we manage money and lead people…we manage project implementation and lead people…we manage things and lead people. There is a distinct difference.


Managing people fits an autocratic leadership style and not a transformational leadership style. It can be a form of overfunctioning. Top down leadership that is autocratic minimizes the synergy of the team.


Here’s a simple chart of my thoughts on the differences:



Topic



Leader



Manager



Style



Transformational



Transactional



Direction



Engages



Demands



Conflict



Addresses



Avoids



Risk



Takes



Minimizes



Affirmations



Gives



Takes



Concern



Helps others to be right



Being right



Blame



Neutralizes



Blames others



Energy



Passion



Control



Power



Influence



Authority



Focus



Leading



Managing



Seeks



Consensus



Mandate



Decisions



Facilitates



Makes



Culture



Collaborative



Authoritative



Activity



Delegates



Micromanages



Horizon



Short-Term within Long-Term



Short-Term



Creates



Leaders on teams



Puppets



Engages



Followers



Subordinates



Rules



Uses principles



Uses rules



Pathway



Creates new



Uses existing



Systems



Utilizes



Avoids



Persona



Focus on vision and values



Focus on self



As you see, there is a significant difference in these two paradigms.


Effective leadership requires healthy self-esteem, confidence, and constantly evolving skills.


Hugh Ballou


The Transformational Leadership Strategist TM


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