How do you want to spend your time? Do you want to manage your people or lead them?
This is the time for you to choose. It is a choice. You can choose to manage someone's work, time, output and process. This works for many, but it's all they will have time to do. Leading others as a manager means delegating, empowering, trusting and developing. When you lead, you free up time to do other activities, like improvement, change, networking, relationship building and visioning. I have done both, and while Managing feels more efficient in the here and now, in the long term it is highly inefficient and not much fun either.
Manager’s plan, organise, delegate, monitor and develop work to get a finite result. They have a goal, deliver, then move on to the next one. It feels like a never ending conveyor belt of actions and goals. It is a finite game in which the rules, time, resources are set, and everyone knows how to play and what winning looks like. It's efficiency in the here and now.
Leaders play the infinite game, where they influence, motivate and enable others to contribute towards organisational success, not just for today, but beyond. They look at tomorrow, next year, the possibilities and prepare for what will be. They deal in influence and inspiration for the future rather than power and control of the now.
A question to think about...
When people come to your desk, do they talk to you about the task at hand or do they talk about improvements, development, aspirations?
The sweet spot is being able to do both.
Of course you need to monitor outputs, but when problems occur, do you want your people to look for you for answers all of the time or do you want them to find solutions for themselves?
- Create a vision of a future state to stretch and inspire.
- Inspire, motivate and align your people to achieve.
- Execute your plans into delivery.
Leaders at the top do less management and more strategic, long term decision making and visioning and ensure they create followership.
Directors direct. They instruct, execute plans, maintain the status quo, focus on short term goals and play a finite game.
Activity
Now you know the difference between a manager and a leader, take some time either on your own or with a team to note down the behaviours displayed by each.
What behaviours does a managed team display?
What are the behaviours you would most likely see in a team with a leader?
What approach suits your vision of the team?
Who do you need to be to create the outcomes you envisage?
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