So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.
– Peter Drucker
A story is told of a man flying in a hot air balloon who realizes he is lost. He reduces height and spots a man down below. He lowers the balloon and shouts, “Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?”
The man below says, “Yes, you are in a hot air balloon hovering about thirty feet from this field.” “You must work in information technology,” says the balloonist. “I do,” replies the man, “How did you know?”
“Well,” says the balloonist, “everything you have told me is technically correct, but it is of no use to anyone.”
The man below says, “You must work in management.” “I do,” replies the balloonist, “but how did you know?”
“Well, says the man, “you don’t know where you are or where you are going, but you expect me to be able to help you. You are in the same position you were before we met, but now it’s my fault.”
For a business to run effectively it must have good management. It also must have strong leadership. Not every manager will be a good leader but every strong leader can be a good manager. And while some managers are full of hot air, a skillful leader will take his or her people to a higher level.
While it is true management often time gets a bad rap, allow me to rise in defense of the many great managers out there who wisely blend their management and leadership skills to create a positive work environment. How do they do it and what can we learn from them? Here are three observations worth consideration.
A great manager is a student of leadership. He or she is smart enough to understand that management skills can only take you so far. A manager may possess enough business smarts for the day-to-day operations, but a student of leadership understands it is just half the battle.
A manager at the next level is there because he learned the value of relationships, the wisdom of collaborative teamwork, and leadership by example. He placed the needs and interests of others ahead of his own, and learned that servant leadership will take him further than brow-beating ever could. Are you a student of leadership?
A great manager is a good listener. I saw a bumper sticker recently that read, “Bark less, wag more,” and this, I thought, was a great leadership concept. Yes, there are some managers who enjoy barking because it is all they know. But those who bark and growl are not great. They are just loud.
A great leader will invest time listening to the ideas, concerns, and dreams of those around her. A manager can create the climate in which the business works, but only a leader can create the culture by which the people work. The difference being, in one setting it is about the task, in the other it is about the purpose. When the team has the ear of the leader the leader will have the heart of the team. Are you a manager that listens?
A great manager adds value to others. John Maxwell says, “Successful people find their own strength zones. Successful leaders find the strength zones of the people they lead.” And this is the point of separation between managers and leaders. A great leader wants what is best for everyone in the organization. He wants everyone to succeed and will go to great lengths to make it happen.
Finding the strength zones of those you lead is about positioning the right people in the right place where they can shine and be successful. Insecurity will prevent a manager from doing this but a great manager finds great satisfaction in seeing team members excel. Billy Hornsby said, “It’s okay to let those you lead outshine you, for if they shine brightly enough, they reflect positively on you.”Are you adding value to those you lead?
A great manager is a student of leadership, a good listener, and adds value. While not an exhaustive list by any stretch, it is a starting point from which to transition from being a manager to a leader.
Are you full of hot air or are you taking your people to a higher level?
© 2011 Doug Dickerson