You will begin to cultivate an incredibly empowered workplace, when you display exceptional leadership.
Would the world be a better place if every manager was a leader? If managers and leaders shared the same innate skills, experience and values? Do you think there’s a difference between management and leadership? In your business do you have leaders, managers, or a mixture of both? What difference if any do you think it would make to your organization if all managers were skilled leaders?
Across the globe there are countless managers who aspire to be leaders. Many believe themselves to be in a leadership role simply because they hold management positions. It’s sadly not the case.
In a nutshell, leaders have supporters and followers while managers have subordinates. It is possible to be both when a manager realizes the value of giving staff reasons to be loyal. Most successful businesses have the mixed option: It brings balance and greater harmony.
However, leaders and managers are two quite different and distinct beasts. I don’t have enough space to go into any great detail; however, the following is a brief outline of the differences between leadership and management.
Managers have subordinates when they are in a formal managerial role. They have authority and influence. Subordinates work for them because of the reward (salary, bonus etc).
In actual fact, managers are also subordinates. There is a chain of command, and the managers are simply a link in that process. Expectations are passed through managers to their staff.
Managers are largely reactive individuals who seek control over employees to achieve specific and pre-determined results. They in a position to apportion blame for problems and issues. In general they seek to avoid conflict to ensure the workplace runs according to the guidelines. It also makes them look good in the eyes of their superiors.
In the ideal world a manager is a ‘doer.’ The individual is tasked with the responsibility of setting objectives for the workplace and electing the tasks required to achieve them.
The individual also organizes the work so it becomes manageable. It makes it much easier to select the necessary people to complete those tasks.
The manager sets targets and appraises individual performances to ensure the people have the right skills and develop the required experience.
Leaders on the other hand are generally charismatic individuals who seek to empower and enrich others. They are risk takers who do what’s necessary to embrace their vision. They motivate staff to follow them through all kinds of turbulence. They have their overall goals for the organization.
Strong and focused leadership generally arises out of adversity. Leaders have very often risen from the ashes of trouble in their own lives. They bring with them a real stability as they have balance and clarity due to their experiences and vision.
The following five steps are important in the evolution of the leader:-
- Seek to empower and enrich the lives of others
- Remain focused on what’s right and just
- Listen to others and respond with compassion
- Be a powerful light which others seek to emulate
- Do what’s right for the majority rather than bow to the minority
Leaders are passionate achievers. They strive for greatness in their own lives and the lives of others. They are transformational facilitators. They remain concerned with what’s right and constantly seek new directions. They see the bigger picture and initiate action to realize their vision. They strive to empower and enrich the lives of others.
For any organization to be truly successful, it’s imperative for both leaders and managers to embrace an altruistic approach and have a voice. They can work in harmony and together, lay a very strong foundation for enrichment and empowerment.
This unity encourages employees to embrace their lives and push forward with enthusiasm in the fulfilment of their dreams and goals.
Irrespective of where you come from or what has impacted your life up until this point, you have the capacity to build an amazing future for yourself and others.
You have the ability, skills, and experience to create and live an extraordinary life. Now is the time to aspire to a more powerful Spiritual Leadership position. Take your current managerial role to the next level. Become a shining light===a mentor—as you encourage people from all walks of life to actively and passionately embrace the futures.
Nurture the goodness within and bring a great deal of inspiration, respect, compassion, generosity, tolerance, trust, honesty, courage, and determination to your world and into the lives of others.
You have the ability to empower and enrich so many people, and once you do that you’ll know in your heart just how awesome it feels to become an extraordinary force for good in the global community.
Imagine the possibilities ……
Photo—nist6dh/Flickr
The post Are You a Leader or a Manager? appeared first on The Good Men Project.