Leadership Vs Management: Bring it On!!
A lot is being written about the importance of leadership for organisations, but in this clamor, I believe the virtues of solid management are being overlooked. Yes, it’s true; management has never been associated with the ‘sexy’ side of the business. In fact, phrases like ‘pencil pusher’ and ‘form herder’ illustrate the derision many managers must endure. While leaders are touted for their visionary ability to ‘create value’, the important service that managers do for the organisation is often times overlooked.
Where Vision Ends
So what is more important? Creating value or assessing and maintaining it? Inspiring people or keeping them focused on priorities? Influencing the team or ensuring opportunities & synergies are realised? The answer is simple, an organisation cannot mobilise all its resources to accomplish its goals and fulfill its vision without both. And if you need both, why paint one as better than the other, or one in a totally negative light. Management is just as essential to the vibrancy of an organisation as leadership, but we are really comparing apples to oranges? Although they don’t look or taste at all alike, they are both delicious and juicy! Can you really be negative about the apple, even though its only offence is that it does not look or taste like an orange?
Free The Managers
I’m proposing something pretty radical – Free managers from the negative stereotypes and acknowledge their amazing contribution to the organisation. I asked a few clients about the role of managers versus the role of leaders and I found that most people speak about managers with a certain amount of derision; as if managing someone is less important
Leaders vs Managers
that leading someone.
Of course, Leaders could be Managers and Managers could be Leaders. There is no disputing that. And although this is not usually the case, I know plenty of managers who are concerned with building their team and motivating their people.
What I’m encouraging you to do is to remove the ‘negative stereotype’ from the role of manager and see the incredible value they bring to the day-to-day activities in any organisation and benefit they provide to their employees.
Other Links of Interest ….
Stereotyping Leads to Inequality, HEC
Three Differences Between Managers and Leaders, HBR
The Leadership versus Management debate: What’s the Difference?, eba