Do you lead or do you manage?

Many people become managers with a title because they are good at a particular technical skill, of which there are many. But does this make them a leader?

I was given my first management position when I was about 23 years old. I worked in retail; I was good with customers, managing stock and more technical stuff like organising stocktakes, all done manually and with no technology! So, within six months of starting at a new store I had transferred to, I was enrolled in the cadet training program to become a manager. However, before I began the cadetship program, I was promoted and given the title of Customer Service Manager in charge of two departments. I was then told I did not need to do the training because I was already a manager. It took me 12 months to realise that being a manager was about systems and processes and another two years to learn that leading is about people. I was a manager for many years before I realised I needed to decide to become a leader, and then the journey began…

In his book 'The Five Levels of Leadership', John C. Maxwell outlines that when you are first given a title that implies you are a manager, this is just about the position, and it is a great place to start; however, you would not want to stay too long at this level, if your goal is to become a leader. You have a title at this level, and people follow you because they must. You have just started your journey at the first leadership level and have a right to the title. However, you still must earn people's trust. To gain confidence, you must like being with people, caring about their welfare, their success and how you can help them be the best they can be and, in turn, become more effective as a leader. This is because leadership is all about influence. When you like people, the workplace becomes a pleasant place for everyone, including you, because you show you care, and people will follow you because they want to. Maxwell, one of my favourite thought leaders on leadership, calls this the second level of leadership, and it is all about relationships. Another favourite is Stephen R. Covey, who highlighted in his classic book, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, that "management is efficient in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall". Peter Drucker made an even more straightforward distinction: "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."

Many critical differences between management and leadership allow us to determine where we sit in the spectrum. Here are just a few:

Vision versus Process

Effective leadership is centred on a vision that guides and influences change across a business or organisation. The size of the business is irrelevant; having a clear vision underpinned by values that inform the decision-making is how great leaders stay focused on the big picture and ensure the ladder is always leaning against the right wall.

Managers are focused on the goals through implementing systems and processes related to budgeting, organisational structuring, and staffing. Leadership is about effectiveness, and management is about efficiency.

Permission versus Position

Leadership is influence. Leaders who rely solely on their position to influence people will fail to succeed long-term. People want to know leaders care about them. If you act in a way that inspires, encourages, engages, and supports others, you permit people to be their best, creating the space for them to thrive. You will become a great leader when your behaviours align with this. Your title or position doesn't matter.

Being in the position of manager does not make you a leader. Efficient managers use their position to achieve business goals and model other leaders they admire, learning how to lead from them. We are always learning from others how to be or not be the type of leader or manager we want to be. 

Alignment versus Organising

Leaders are focused on aligning the whole team to the long-term vision. They will make decisions about achieving the long-term vision even when they are the hard ones that must be made. Leaders know how to make these hard decisions and still care for people. Leaders will focus on innovation, business opportunities and people because they know this is how the vision is achieved.

Managers have a crucial role because they pursue goals through organising, planning, and controlling coordinated actions, tactical processes, tasks and activities that unfold over stages to reach a specific outcome. They will lead meetings to get to crucial outcomes, develop plans for effective communication and organise people to get things done.

Every leader has a manager in them because this is how we start. However, not all managers have a leader in them because a conscious decision must be made to be a leader. Becoming a leader is a skill to be learned; the good news is that everyone can learn to be a great leader. Like so many things, it is a choice. Becoming a leader starts with learning to lead yourself. Choosing to develop as a leader in a way that will serve and support you through all areas of life is one of the most powerful sets of skills to learn, as it will influence everything you do and achieve. This influence will play out in relationships, wealth creation, physical well-being, parenting, career, business success and even your higher purpose. This is because leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less!

To explore how you can get support to develop your leadership skills further, use this link to book a Complimentary Strategy Session  with a lead coach at Leaders Network.