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Leadership Vs Management - Key To Compounding Results
Management In my twenties, I worked in management in the hospitality industry. Even though I had earned a position of clout, I didn't know the first thing about leading people. To me, sporting that title was more about command. The individuals in my organization had to go along with what I told them, since their paycheck depended on it. A common misconception is the belief that individuals with authority are influential . Authority doesn't equal leader. Managing is merely maintaining systems, whereas leading, means you can move people in a specific direction with their willing participation. In my position, I may have had authority, but I had very little influence. In other words, people were not following me out of trust and respect, they basically did their job out of necessity. I had no understanding of leading with vision, connecting with people, or how to really influence a group of people without the underlying job dependence tactics. The fact is, you can't lead people effectively, if they don't trust you. In a management type hierarchy, how frequently do you come across employees who honestly trust their boss, or feel like their boss has their best interest in mind? It is easy for management to perceive they are leading, because people are listening to them, when in actuality, they are just adhering to policy, because their source of revenue is at stake. Leadership Difference It wasn’t until I read my first book on leadership where I had that pivotal light bulb moment. The notion that came to mind was “if I only knew then, what I know now, what a difference I could have made.” Ironically, I began to consider my past employers who needed this training, because obviously they had no understanding of leadership vs management , afterall, it was their example I was following. John C. Maxwell states “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” Should you question whether or not you are a leader, simply check to see how many people are actually following your lead, by executing a different path for your team . You’ll find out in a hurry, whether or not you have true influence. Position and authority have very little to do with leadership. To manage people means you can preserve, but to lead people means you can multiply your efforts, and the outcome can be compounding. To start to advance yourself as a leader, here are a few areas you can act on: Character. This defines you, it is who you are. A leader with good character demonstrates consistency, and faithfulness. It is about walking your talk. To build solid character, you become a person that others absolutely know they can rely on every time, not just once in a while. Being faithful in terms of character is about follow through, not changing your mind every three months, or giving up each time challenges arise, or something becomes uncomfortable. When you develop character, it becomes easier for people to trust and follow your leadership. Connection. Making connections is about developing relationships. Most people would prefer to work with or follow someone when a friendship exists. To truly connect with people, letting your guard down, and becoming fairly vulnerable, allows them to see you're a real person and you care. Relate to the people you are leading, and ask yourself, does my leadership show my people I am sincere about their interests, or am I too focused on my goals? The general rule in making real connections is to be a giver, not a taker. To truly show your team your heart, worry less about the impression, and focus more on your consistent day to day activity. Remember, when it comes to relationships of any kind, it's not the big memorable moments that determines the quality, the success lies in what we do each day . Credibility. This can be summed up with experience, knowledge, and ability. Confidence comes from competence, so to lead confidently you need to gain experience, and you can only do that from being in the trenches and working with your team. You want to be in a continuous state of expansion, learning and advancing your skills every day. Your team will do what you do, not what you say. The fact is, if you can’t deliver, people won’t follow you. Lasting success is determined by your decision to choose between leadership vs management. Leadership develops daily, not overnight. If you want to develop greater influence, and expand your business, establish a leadership growth plan. Begin with a list of leadership materials to complete. A decent plan incorporates a schedule of the material you will study, with a date to be completed. Don't expect an overnight change, simply decide this is a life long journey in your advancement. Lastly, know that absorbing information won't transform anything, results happen when you put what you are learning into practice.. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Learn more leadership success tips by connecting with Jodi Ouellette, a home business transformation authority. You can watch a short video lesson here about leadership vs management, with Jodi Ouellette. She is a marketing system, personal development, and leadership trainer in the home business industry, and has a passion for leading people to living their personal best. |
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