Leadership vs. Management
We have to get beyond management and start talking about leadership. I don't mean just at the top of organizations, I mean throughout. Warren Bennis helps me understand some of the differences between managers and leaders. He's written a series of wonderful books, one of the most powerful of which is called "On Becoming a Leader". In that book he includes this chart.
| The Manager | The Leader |
|---|
| Administers | Innovates |
| Is a Copy | Is an Original |
| Maintains | Develops |
| Focuses on Systems and Structure | Focuses on People |
| Relies on Control | Inspires Trust |
| Has a Short-Range View | Has a Long-Term Perspective |
| Asks How and When | Asks What and Why |
| Has Eyes On the Bottom Line | Has Eyes On the Horizon |
| Imitates | Originates |
| Accepts the Status Quo | Challenges the Status Quo |
| Is the Classic Good Soldier | Does the Right Thing |
| Does Things Right | Is His Own Person |
In my judgment, two of the most important differences are at the top and the bottom of the lists. At the top, he contrasts "Administers" with "Innovates." At the bottom, he indicates that managers do things right and that leaders do the right thing. That's a theme Stephen Covey has picked up and uses rather extensively in his excellent books.
What are the dimensions of management expressed in this chart? To me, they have to do with process. What are the dimensions of leadership expressed? Here, I believe we're talking about character, towering competence, and intuition.
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