Managing and leading are fundamentally different, and honestly, I don’t think you can have one without the other. For this series, The Evolution: Management vs Leadership, we’ll explore the benefits and techniques that can be used to move from managing to leading – and why the success of your business demands that you work on it. There is a time and place for straight-forward management. Management, when coupled with effective leadership, will be a key to growth and success of your organization and employees.
By, Niki Ramirez, MBA/PHR
It is my strongly held belief that management and leadership are not exclusive of each other. We all begin as managers. As managers, we are given some kind of title that indicates that we manage a group, a team, a project. Leadership is a natural evolution: once we get going and are successful at managing, we are now free to learn how to lead.
For part one, let’s make sure that we agree on what “management” and “leadership” are then we can discuss the development of skills that will promote success in both.
Management: “The organization and coordination of the activities of a business in order to achieve defined objectives.”
Examples of daily business management activities:
- Scheduling you own activities / time
- Monitoring budgets
- Sending out marketing materials
- Conducting audits
- Setting and enforcing limits and controls
- Planning staffing/scheduling employees
- Completing paperwork and submitting required forms
Consider this: successful leaders manage their core business responsibilities well.
Leadership: “An act or instance of leading; guidance; direction.”
Examples of daily business leadership activities:
- Building commitment to the team
- Influencing others to support business objectives
- Inspiring others to grow and find success
- Creating and successfully communicating a vision of success for the organization/team
- Being the first to test out new ideas
- Showing others that it’s ok to take risks
- Energizing others
Successful leaders spend their time focusing on the right things to grow their organization: strategy, vision, people and opportunities.
Good leaders are fully aware that if they allocate time to managing and getting things right (for example, selecting a consultant to market their business or assisting with a financial audit), then they are free to work on the right things to grow their organization.
Businesses need team members who can successfully “manage”. Managers help minimize liability and control risk. They keep business organized. Leaders create an environment where team members share a vision and inspires them to do the right things to excel.
Up next in Part 2, we will explore activities and techniques that promote successful management.
Are you ready to talk management and leadership development and strategy? We love that stuff. Contact Niki today and let’s get rolling.
About the author: Niki Ramirez is a seasoned professional consultant and coach with a knack for engaging business leaders. She has a successful track record partnering with a wide variety of organizations to analyze current human resources and business operations with the objective of designing cost-effective HR, training, and employee relations programs that help every organizations exceed their goals.
Maybe most importantly, Niki is the proud momma to three strikingly intelligent, gorgeous, funny kids. She loves to horseback ride and get outside to hike and explore the world every spare minute that she has.
