Business has a schizophrenic approach to management and leadership. On the one hand, every business talks about leadership at all levels. On the other hand, most people below a certain level are so constrained that their title of management seems more mocking than empowering.
Here is a look at management vs. administration and leadership as practiced in most companies:
1. Management does very little independent thinking, by design and limitation.
2. Management does not consider the best interests of those lower in rank in implementing policy. Again, by design and limitation.
3. Management makes decisions within a narrow vision. Usually limited to “getting the job done.”
4. Leadership analyzes and solves the problem. Because leadership is usually upper management, and upper management sees all and knows all.
5. Leadership seeks a solution that benefits everyone. As long as “everyone” is defined as upper management or stockholders.
This is an artificial dichotomy. Leaders must be able to manage their movements. Managers who aren’t leaders are basically prison guards, simply making sure that everyone gets to the same place at the appointed time. The division between the two is false.
But once a company or organization reaches a certain size, it becomes heavily bureaucratic. The people in management positions become entrenched in their jobs, more afraid of being fired than of being enthusiastic to get promoted. They set up this false dichotomy to justify their inability to lead. That does not mean you need to buy into it.
True leadership starts with leading yourself. Stress as self discovery. Every culture has a saying about this. The one I think is most appropriate for leadership, management and business is: “It is not important to be better than someone else, but to be better than yesterday.” Jigoro Kano
Managing stress and controlling chaos is the first – and best – step to true leadership.
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