Leadership

Leadership and management are often misunderstood as one in the same. They are not! Certainly a good leader should be able to manage and visa-versa. But, it is important to understand the difference. Both are important to the success of an organization.

The key difference between the two is that management is about processes and leadership is about people. You manage your accounts payables but you lead your accounts payable administrator. Understanding this is the key to motivating, coaching and growing your people to the very best of their ability.

This happens in an organization for many different reasons. Most often it is because we promote people for all of the wrong reasons. The most common ones are length of service, the next manager is the one who has worked there the longest, and the other is that they are good at the task at hand. For example they have had the best sales record so they become the sales manager; they have had the least mistakes in accounting so they become the accounting manager etc.

Unfortunately, we learn management skills as opposed to leadership skills very early on. Our parents tell us what to do as opposed to teaching us to think of the answer to questions on our own. This is one among several reasons why management as opposed to leadership is how we typically run an organization.

Management is about effecting positive change in the organization by recognizing process problems, correcting those process problems and teaching others how to implement the new processes.

The top 4 most important aspects of leadership are;

1) Recruiting. The ability to attract and retain the best is imperative in success of an organization. Recruitment should be an ongoing process and should never wait for a need. There is always a need for someone better then your best person isn’t there?

2) Coaching. Coaching is always teaching, rarely telling. Teaching is helping subordinates self realize the answer on their own and not always blurting out the answer for them. The old adage, “Give someone a fish, they eat for a day, teach them how to fish, they eat for a lifetime”. There is a real pride in coming up with answers on their own which is what we all strive for in an employee.

3) Accountability. Creating a clear and detailed written plan that involves a 30-60-90 day written goal that not only involves revenue goals but behavior goals as well. Behavior goals are the action steps that are taken to prospect daily, weekly and monthly.

4) Motivating. Understanding what motivates each individual is what will elevate
them to the next level. Motivation is different for each individual and a true leader
knows how to unlock it.

So are you a good leader or just a manager? How about your sales manager? Better ask the questions. You never know what you might learn.

Danielle MooreProActive Training & Consulting