Part 4: Valuing Leadership Over Management
Take a moment to reflect on the most ineffective leader you have seen. This person may be someone at your work or from another arena of life, past or present. The point is not so much WHO this person is, but rather the specific actions or behaviors this leader demonstrated that made him or her particularly ineffective. Try to recount the feelings you experienced under this type of leadership.
Now take a moment to recall the actions and attitudes of an effective leader in your life. Can you recall your feelings under this type of leadership? Quite different, aren’t they?
One group of leaders emits a sense of stability, clarity, security, vision, and genuine care. The other elicits a sense of disregard, confusion, coldness, weakness, and distrust.
Our responsibility as leaders is to create an atmosphere that allows team members to grow personally and professionally, develop skills, contribute unique gifts and ideas to achieve a mission, and be assured of our belief in them. They will blossom into confident and productive team members under the hand of a good gardener and behind the staff of a wise shepherd. You as a leader play many roles in equipping your team for service and excellence. Understanding the gravity of these roles and embracing intentional leadership will move you squarely in the Effective Leader category.
One element of being effective is understanding the difference between managing others and leading them.
Management Vs. Leadership
Management is about handling things—numbers, facts, budgets, details, accounts, schedules, etc. Successful managers are people who can manage/control/handle responsibilities. The word “management” comes from the root word “mano,” which means “hand” in Latin.
Leadership, on the other hand, comes from the root “to go.” The word “leader” denotes moving forward and progress. Managing is about handling, but not necessarily about motion.
To compare the differences, let’s look back at those initial lists you developed. First, recall your Ineffective Leaders list. Reviewing these characteristics, which of these are qualities of “management”? Which are characteristics of “leadership”?
Now, consider the Effective Leader list. Would you say that most of these characteristics are more than just management? Do you think they are more indicative of leadership? The characteristics on the Effective Leader list are not usually discussed in management courses and are often not quantitative. Nevertheless, they are skills that we can all enhance in our lives.
Management skills are extremely important in organizations. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to control expenses, work from a budget, or maintain a sense of order. Management is not a negative term, but it is not enough to motivate people to thrive, build, and innovate. Thinking beyond our own capacities, we also desire that our leaders take it a step further—to not just settle for being “good managers”—but to strive to lead others out of the Effective Leader list of qualities. These individuals commit to move their teams forward through living as an example, coaching them through mistakes, communicating in ways that lead to development, and relationship-building.
The bottom line is that organizations are over-managed and under-led. Great leaders understand the balancing act between control and chaos. Managers are all about control and leaders invite chaos. There is always some chaos in growth cycles, and it should be welcomed. The challenge is to get free of controlling chaos, which will ultimately drive an organization into the ground.
Successful leaders create healthy environments that lead to personal and professional progress. When that culture is created, your team members will meet goals, astutely manage projects, communicate clearly, enhance the work community, and be active members on their teams.
Is your organization under-led and over-managed?