Leadership and Management

There’s been an ongoing debate about Leadership and Management for some time now. I believe that there wasn’t much difference in people’s view of them up through the 60’s. Then, like many other ideas in our world, “things began to change.”

More and more books, articles, videos, blogs…you name it…started coming out that downplayed (or outright badmouthed) Management and managers in favor of being a Leader and always leading…and talked about there being crucial differences. It wasn’t helped when “micromanagement” started being recognized as a “bad technique” practiced by too many managers who “weren’t leaders.”

Was it a 60’s counterculture thing that took root and started to grow…everywhere? I don’t know. What I DO know is that, in the world of small business today (and larger businesses too), BOTH must be present for the business to consistently produce high-quality products and services with a workforce that stays engaged and involved with the product/service, the company, and its customers.

We Lead people to create energy, movement, teamwork, and pride through Vision, Culture, and enthusiasm.

We Manage processes to develop reliable systems and competent people to operate them optimally with consistency.

Management without Leadership = minimal expenditure of effort to get the job done, get paid, and go home…disengaged employees at best…sabotage at worst

Leadership without Management = excited, energized, incompetent and unproductive employees…lots of action, not so many results that matter to the organization…and more than a fair share of waste

As you’re no doubt gathering, you won’t be truly successful unless you can accomplish BOTH in appropriate measure.

If you already know this and do this, you’re doing exactly the right thing, so don’t stop!

If you “get things done,” but experience absenteeism, position turnover, and have a difficult time finding people, you may want to look into your leadership skills.

If you have great people, and you’re “in the trenches with them…all the time,” and your results are lacking, or your customers don’t come back, or things always seem chaotic, and there’s never enough time, you may want to look into your management skills.

And if you aren’t sure where you are, or what to do…you know who to call.

See y’all next time!