Managers Vs Leaders
As we go into a New Year, there’s often a sense that hopes and expectations are being raised and that misery and inevitable disappointment are surely just around the corner. Fear is often the flip side of hope and increasing one side can have the unintended consequence of increasing the other. The bigger the prize, the bigger the risk, and therefore the increased likelihood of failure, humiliation and public disgrace. In these uncertain times even the relatively small prize of continued employment is fraught with risk and it can be difficult to prise dynamic and innovative performance from staff who want nothing more than a quiet, steady life. People need reassurance, they need clear direction and they need motivating. In short, they, and we, need leadership.
All very well, you might say, but what is this ‘leadership’ of which you speak? Well, we in HR believe that we have the answer to pretty much everything, even if we choose to disguise that with unintelligible jargon, wince-inducing business speak or utterly meaningless platitudes. For instance, the most often quoted answer to “What’s the difference between a manager and a leader?”(apart from “Taxi!”), seems to be, “A manager does things right - a leader does the right things.”
What exactly does that mean – “doing the right thing”? And what’s wrong with “doing things right” anyway? Can someone be a good leader even if they end up failing?
Put simply, yes. Leaders are people of exceptional character who are capable of bringing others through a crisis. A leader is someone who knows that though the risk of failure may be great, they don’t give up on themselves or on others if they believe that they are capable of victory. Innovation or over-performance are rarely achieved by simply ‘doing things right’ and it is worth noting that ‘working with or for an inspirational figure’ scores extremely highly in employee retention research.
Interestingly, all leaders share certain qualities or characteristics, including:
1. Self-respect and respect for others. If you don’t respect others, they will not respect you. You can’t lead people who don’t respect you.
2. The ability to communicate effectively. Leaders say what they mean and mean exactly what they say. A large dose of charisma usually helps, too, but often it’s about modifying the message to suit the audience.
3. Integrity and character. Leaders are not swayed by popular opinion or by unsubstantiated theories and do not compromise their principles for power, material gain or that most seductive of all temptations: an easy life.
4. Having a vision, a mission (or a purpose), a sense of direction, and a clear set of goals. Moreover, they know that their job isn’t done when one set of goals is reached and have already started working towards the next set.
5. Being grounded. Leaders have a vision of what the world around them ought to be, but they are also pragmatic. Things will not always go smoothly, ideas will always be challenged, but leaders understand that and crucially, prepare for it.
6. Courage. Fear is a powerful motivator; it causes many of us to turn away from our goals when our belief in ourselves, our cause or our choices is not strong. Leaders aren’t necessarily fearless, though - leaders make a conscious choice to act in spite of their fear.
7. Persistence, commitment, and dedication. It’s like “they” –whoever “they” are - always say: “Winners don’t quit, and quitters don’t win.” Nothing worth having comes without focus and determination. Other than the winning lottery numbers, I suppose.
8. Humility. Leaders aren’t self-promoting or self-aggrandizing. They give credit to others and refuse it for themselves. Actions speak louder than words, anyway and results are usually rewarded.
9. A sense of responsibility. Leaders are willing to bear the ultimate responsibility for their undertakings. They don’t point the finger of blame when things go askew or look for excuses.
10. Decisiveness. When action is called for, real leaders react. Knowing that a window of opportunity exists they act quickly and effectively, based on the best available information.
Most importantly, leaders have these characteristics in balance. Some may tell you there is one characteristic more important than the rest. They’ll say something like, “Oh, you have to have that ‘vision thing’ above all else.” Not true – people won’t follow someone who has vision without courage or humility, for example. It’s also worth appreciating that “being everyone’s friend” or “letting people do what they like” are not generally key attributes of leadership.
In short, the best way of managing people is to lead, and the best way of delivering exceptional performance from your staff is to inspire them. Which begs the question: how much of your team’s failings are actually down to you?
Mo Rasanayagam is a HR Consultant for Sussex Enterprise.
Follow Mo on twitter @MRasanayagam