Apr 12
2

Are you a Manager or a Leader?

10 Comments

I’ve been reflecting about the folks that I have worked for in the past.  In doing so, I created two categories within which they had a tendency to fall:  manager and leader.  Of course, none of them were simply one or the other.  In truth, they each fell somewhere on the manager – leader continuum, but for the sake of discussion, I offer the following distinctions:

Managers…

  • maintain the status quo.
  • create efficiencies to cut.
  • look at change and ask, “why?”
  • enjoy positional power.
  • build consensus before making decisions.
  • rarely receive pushback… and like it that way

Leaders…

  • challenge the status quo.
  • create efficiencies to promote growth.
  • look at change and ask, “what do you need?”
  • empower others.
  • make decisions then build consensus.
  • often receive pushback… and pushes back appropriately.

What am I missing?  Are you a manager or a leader?

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Posted in Leadership by Tony Baldasaro 10 Comments

10 Responses to "Are you a Manager or a Leader?"

  • Blair Peterson says:
    April 2, 2012 at 10:37 PM
    Reply

    I never really thought about “make decisions then build consensus” As someone who seeks consensus it’s very possible that my mind has been made up before getting to consensus. Have to really think about that one. I also think that there is a sense of self confidence that people sense and have faith in what you’re promoting. I like to think that it comes from some internal compass. Thanks for sharing. Blair

  • Greg says:
    April 3, 2012 at 12:47 AM
    Reply

    Firstly, well done on the points of comparison between Manager and Leader. As you acknowledge, they are part of a continuum, and, at times, Lesders need to Manage!

    One point I offer for consideration, and it would only be recently that I have come to this realization,, would be…. “Managers hold people to account, Leaders help build capacity of their colleagues.” Maybe the best leaders do both? Maybe, they become better leaders when they spend more time building capacity than holding people to account.

    Leave it with you.

    Regards,
    Greg.
    @gregmiller68 on Twitter

  • Kara Jacobs says:
    April 3, 2012 at 6:11 AM
    Reply

    Great list! I do like the idea of the continuum.

    Another thing that could be added to the list is: managers are fondly remembered as being good people and leaders are remembered as being visionaries ahead of the times (although many don’t realize that until years later).

    Thanks for sharing,
    Kara Jacobs
    @karacjacobs on Twitter

  • Bruce Ferrington says:
    April 3, 2012 at 6:35 AM
    Reply

    A manager can get you to the top of the cliff.

    A leader can get you to jump off it.

  • Douglas W. Green, EdD says:
    April 3, 2012 at 6:43 AM
    Reply

    Leaders provide vision and influence those they lead to help them work towards it. Managers deal with day to day operations, which should include some status quo and some change. In reality, school leaders need to do both. They should, however, understand which function they are involved in at a given time. Thanks for this post and keep up the good work.

  • Kyle says:
    April 3, 2012 at 9:06 AM
    Reply

    Leaders multiply the leadership capabilities of their team. Recognize individual strengths and bring out the genius in everyone.

    Seth Godin had a short bit on this back in the Fall: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/10/the-difference-between-management-and-leadership.html

  • Tom omalley says:
    April 3, 2012 at 3:46 PM
    Reply

    Managers do things right. Leaders do the right thing…Warren Benis.

    You my dear friend and a few others were leaders in my eyes

  • Robert Charles Bartley says:
    April 4, 2012 at 12:14 AM
    Reply

    Either …or scenarios like this are a disservice to rational thought and designed as a set-up to position one type of thinking over another without regard to the situation of the moment, the grand scheme of things, the problem at hand to be solved, and/or the variables influencing the problem to be solved. Both the Manager and Leader mindsets described can be effective to solve problems and achieve goals…some times independently…sometimes in conjunction with one another. Both midsets can also be used to prevent goal achievement or solution to a problem when used at the wrong time on the wrong problem. One might argue that, for example, Bill Gates’s was more of a Manager and that Steve Jobs was more of a leader, yet Bill Gates had to intervene and bail out Apple financially when Steve Jobs returned as CEO in order to help Steve to grace the world with such latter-day Apple innovations such as the IPhone and iTunes.

  • Robert Charles Bartley says:
    April 4, 2012 at 12:16 AM
    Reply

    Pardon the typo. I meant “mindsets”, not “midsets”.

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