Tag: management

Here is the best definition of leadership

Over the years experts have provided their own definition of leadership. Several of these make sense to me while some are difficult to follow. The longer the explanation the more suspect I am. The one definition that I found most useful is from John Maxwell. If you are not familiar with John – he is considered one of the top leadership gurus in the world. In his book, Developing the Leader Within You, John offers a simple definition. One that is easy for all of us to understand.

Leadership Is influence. That’s it. Nothing more; nothing less.

John Maxwell

Your ability to influence others…for better or for worse

I agree with John Maxwell. Leadership is all about how well you can influence others. If you are put in charge of a team, can you lead them effectively? Can you influence them enough to get the job done? If so, you are a leader. If not, it is harder to tell. You probably are not.

Influence is a double-edged sword

Good leaders influence their followers to achieve beneficial results. For example, Nelson Mandela changed a nation through his leadership. South Africa is a much better nation after Mandela’s leadership than before. In contrast – Hitler changed Germany while in charge. He left the country and much of Europe in ruins. Leaders leveraging their influence in the wrong way can cause catastrophic results. This fact is shown in some of today’s world events.

Nelson Mandela changed South Africa under his leadership.
Nelson Mandela changed South Africa through his leadership.

Some of us think we are leaders, but we actually are not

Maxwell makes an astute observation in the same book. This quote always makes me smile.

My favorite leadership proverb is: He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.

 John Maxwell

The quote is funny. It is also true. If nobody is following you, then you are actually leading no one other than yourself. In my career, I have worked with several leaders who thought their team was following them. In fact, nobody was behind them. No one was on board with their plan. If only the leader would have taken the time to check, he would have realized that no one was following. He was only taking a walk – alone. Make sure you do not fall into the same trap. Check to see if your team is following you. If not, stop what you are doing, and go talk with them to identify the reasons they are not. Reality check – you may be the problem, not them.

If no one is following then you are not leading. You are simply walking alone.
If no one is following then you are not leading. You are simply walking alone.

Peter Drucker’s definition of leadership

I am a big fan of Peter Drucker. He was one of the most respected leadership experts in the world. His book, The Effective Executive is a classic. Everyone should read it. In fact, if you have not read his book, and you are a leader, add it to your reading list for this year. It is that good. Drucker points out that there is a big difference between leading and managing. My favorite quote from him about this topic is below.

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.

Peter Drucker

Many of us are managers, not actually leaders

Drucker is drawing a clear distinction between management and leadership. I agree with him. There are several differences. I will not repeat content from two previous posts that describe the Common Management Model and the Uncommon Leadership Model. Rather, I want to point out that according to Drucker’s definition what you do as a leader is important. Many of us find ourselves in a leadership position, but we are not leading. We are managing. We are more focused on doing things right than asking ourselves if we are doing the right things. If you are a leader, follow Drucker’s advice. Spend your time wisely on the things that really matter. The activities that will drive results and make a positive impact.

Peter Drucker is the original leadership guru - his books are excellent.
Peter Drucker is the original leadership guru – his books are excellent.

Leadership is comprised of many components, not just one definition

This week I am sharing some of John Maxwell and Peter Drucker’s perspectives on leadership. In the next two weeks, I will share thoughts from two of the most famous US Army Generals in history – Colin Powell and Dwight Eisenhower. By putting all these pieces together I think we start to appreciate both the complexity and components that comprise leadership.

The good and bad news about the definition of leadership

First, here is the bad news – leadership is not easy. If it was everyone would be an effective leader. Let’s finish with the good news – leadership can be learned. That is the primary reason why All The Way Leadership! exists. To help train the next generation of leaders so that they can change the world, and make it a better place to live. We can do it.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

Why the Common Management Model does not work

I worked as a manager and a leader in multiple organizations for more than twenty-five years. I served as an Officer in the United States military and taught at a top-ranked university. Currently, I work for a leading management consulting company in the private industry. Over the past decade, I provided consulting services to many clients who work for the US government. Three things I have noticed working across all these different organizations. First, each one of them is unique. They have a specific mission, a way of doing business, and corporate culture. Second, they all task organize in different ways to accomplish their mission. No organization looks exactly like another. The same is true of companies across the world. Third, they all struggle to deliver results on a regular basis. High performance is not the norm. Why is that? The common management model does not work.

Most US corporations today are over-managed and under-led. They need to develop their capacity to exercise leadership.

John Kotter

Many organizations focus too much on management

As John Kotter’s quote points out, most organizations are over-managed and under-led. In the upper ranks, management rules over leadership. When the focus is management a predictable corporate culture is created. It is based on what I am calling the Common Management Model (shown below). In this blog, I will describe this organizational viewpoint and the culture it creates.

Many organizations emphasize management more than leadership. It is a mistake.
The Common Management Model –  organizations emphasize management more than leadership.

You climb to the top by managing more

The way you advance your career in the Common Management Model is simple – manage more. First, you start as a supervisor, someone who observes and directs the work of others. Simply make sure the work gets done. Next, you become a manager. Someone who manages supervisors. If you don’t screw up you eventually become a senior manager. During this phase, it is most important that you keep the trains running on time. If you last long enough and avoid train wrecks, you become an executive. Hopefully, by then you get a nice parking spot. You are going to need it because the majority of your time will be spent in meetings with your senior managers…making sure they keep their trains running on time.

Is the goal of your career is more than a reserved parking space?
Is the main goal of your career a reserved parking space?

Managers focus on their own numbers

In the Common Management Model, your value to the organization is measured in two ways. First – how many people work for you. Second – how much budget responsibility you have. These measures drive management behavior and corporate culture. If you want to “climb the ladder” it is vital that you find ways to get more people and more budget resources. The bigger your organization, the larger your budget, the more important you become. What you actually deliver is a by-product, typically placed on the back burner.

More is always better in the Common Management Model.
More is better in the Common Management Model.

This model creates an unhealthy culture

The way managers talk about their work is revealing. Ask one of them what they do and you will hear about the scope of their role, not the impact they create, or the results they deliver. For example, “I have 25 people working for me and I am responsible for an annual budget of $10M”. I made up the numbers. They don’t really matter other than more is better. This obsession with management can create an unhealthy culture distinguished by three characteristics.

1. Collaboration is limited

In the Common Management Model managers are not incentivized to collaborate. Rather than work together, managers stay in their own lane and play it safe. Think about it. If my goal is to get more people and more money, then why would I help others. Sure – I am going to be nice, and lend a helping hand every now and then. But, I am unlikely to help you in a meaningful way, to truly collaborate, unless it helps me. After all, if your team does not perform well, then I can make the case to senior management that your resources should be redirected my way. A turf war will ensue. If you think this does not happen. It does. I have witnessed too many of these battles over the years. They are petty and a distraction from getting the mission accomplished.

Collaboration is critical for putting the pieces together.
Collaboration is critical for putting the pieces together.

2. Innovation is stifled

It is difficult for an organization to innovate without collaboration. The more big brains you have trying to solve a problem, the better off you will be. If managers lack the incentive to collaborate (as described above), it is doubtful their team members will fill the void. Innovation is all about new ideas, creative solutions, and better ways of doing business. Sometimes innovation requires new thinking. Other times you simply need the right person to identify some tweaks for improving a process. Either way, the best method for innovation is through consistent collaboration. It is challenging to have one without the other. Without collaboration, teams become limited to their own thinking. Let’s face it – if no one on the team knows a better way forward, then the status quo will prevail. Keep doing the same old same old.

Consistent collaboration is critical for innovation.
Consistent collaboration is critical for innovation.

3. Micromanagement is encouraged

In the Common Management Model micromanagement becomes commonplace. If more management is good, then micromanaging your team is the best method for moving up the ladder. Ask your team for constant status, watch their every move, and do everything you can to make sure it is not your fault when the trains are late one day. Am I overstating this observation? I am. But, I have witnessed micromanagement in spades over the past decade. In fact, some organizations reward their micromanagers with more responsibility.

High performing team members don't need to be micromanaged.
High performing team members don’t need to be micromanaged.

This model affects performance

The common management model avoids pushing teams toward high performance. Rather take it easy. Take it slow. Manage every step in the process. Monitor as much as you can. The good news for micromanagers is that you will rarely be surprised. The bad news is that performance suffers, and your team will come to dislike their work. No one I know wants to be micromanaged. It goes against human nature to want to be told what to do all the time.

No one wants a Drill Sergeant for a boss.

Leadership is the solution

All the Way Leadership! believes that there is a better path to take. A different model to follow. Next week I will talk about a different organization view. One that focuses more on leadership. Just so that I am clear – management in itself is not bad. It is necessary. It is important that the trains run on time. But, I believe leadership is needed for sustained high performance. That is one of the reasons the company is called All The Way Leadership!, not All The Way Management.

Learning about management is not difficult

There are plenty of good books, courses, and certifications you can obtain that will make you an expert manager. Leadership, on the other hand, is more challenging. That is one of the reasons this company exists. To help you become a more effective leader. It will make a huge difference for you, your team, and the organizations you support.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!