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Testing Todd: Are You a Leader or a Manager?

The question can be asked, are you a manager or a leader? Can you be both? Is there even a difference? The answer to this latter question is, yes. In a successful organization there are many people performing different tasks all in harmony to make the business successful. Some individuals can be phenomenal leaders while others can be excellent managers. Some can actually be both. How do we define a leader from a manager?

In a text written by Warren Bennis, On Becoming a Leader some key differences are outlined, drawing some boundaries around leaders versus managers. One of his key observations that rings true is that leaders innovate while managers administer. By his definition, the leader comes up with new ideas and moves the group into a forward thinking mindset. The leader constantly keeps their focus on the horizon and develops new tactics and strategies. The leader needs to be abreast of current trends, technologies and tactics. In his book, Bennis quotes Gene Wade, the CEO and founder of UniversityNow:

“You got people who are just going to work instead of thinking about why they’re doing what they are doing, and then you have the leaders.”

Bennis goes on to say that, conversely, you have the manager who maintains what has already been established. This person keeps an eye on the bottom line and maintains control. The manager maintains order within the company.  Wade goes on to say, “The leader inspires trust whereas the manager relies on control.” The leader inspires other people to be the best they can be while setting the tempo and pace for the team. “Leadership is not what you do— it’s what others do in response to you. If no one shows up at your march, then you’re not really a leader,” Wade says. If your team does accept your inspiration you have created a bond of trust within your organization and this is essential especially if the business is rapidly changing and needs individuals who believe in its mission.

In the same book, management expert Peter Drucker comments, “As for managers, their job is to maintain control over people by helping them develop their own assets and bringing out their greatest talents. To do this effectively, you have to know the people you are working with and understand their interests and passions.” The manager then “creates a team from their people, through decisions on pay, placement, promotion and through their communication with the team.”

Wade goes on to add, “Managing a project is one thing, empowering others is another thing.”

What I found interesting is some of the insights Bennis, Wade, and Drucker shined on the differences between managers and leaders. Leaders ask the questions “what” and “why” while managers ask “when” and “how.” To ask the questions “what” and “why,” you have to be able to understand why certain actions are occurring. Sometimes this involves challenging authority. The successful leader needs to stand up to management when they think something else needs to be done for the success of the company as a whole.

Wade goes on to say that if the company experiences a failure it is the leader’s job to come in and say, “What did we learn from this?” and “How do we use this information to clarify our goals or get better at it?” Instead, managers don’t actually think about what the failure means. Their job is to ask “how and “when” and make sure they execute the plan accordingly. Peter Drucker added that “managers accept the status quo and are more like soldiers in the military. They know that orders and plans are crucial and their job is to keep their vision on the company’s current goals.”

Concluding, Wade states that, “Although the two roles may be similar, the best managers are also leaders. I think you can do both but you have to take the time to cultivate it.”

So are you a leader? Or a manager? Combining the traits required for both is a one-two punch in success. Manage the goals and personnel while also thinking outside the box and asking the “why” and “what” questions. Lee Iacocca, the well-known automobile icon, encouraged the question of authority. Any of his team of thousands of employees were told on their assembly lines if something is not right, you pull that chain and stop the line. Employees felt pride in their empowerment and that they made a difference. There is an example of a “manaleader.”    

References

1. Bennis, W. (1989), “On Becoming a Leader.”

Additional Reading

1. Giang, V. (2012), “3 Things That Separate Leaders from Managers.”

2. Murray, A. (2010), “The Wall Street Journal Essential Guide to Management.”

Todd Kolmodin is the vice president of quality for Gardien Services USA, and an expert in electrical test and reliability issues. To read past columns, or to contact Kolmodin, click here.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2016 issue of The PCB Magazine.