Leaders vs Managers

The Times - Success requires doing the job of two people: "Success requires doing the job of two people Published:Sep 13, 2008

The idea of combining manager and leader is not as easy as it seems, writes Linda Doke

Attempting to distinguish between managers and leaders, and analysing the roles they need to play in successful businesses, is an exercise in futility: most organisations do not have enough staff, and require managers to lead, and leaders to manage."

There seems to be a general consensus that manager's tend to run the business and leaders are there to inspire people within the business to achieve the highest of outcomes with the greatest of attitudes.

But is there really such a BIG gap between the two? In my opinion the only reason there is any differentiation is because there are so many average managers. The good and great managers are actually "maneaders' (a little something I made up, in case you haven't guessed,), someone who encompasses both roles with great success.

In my business the #1 complaint I receive from clients is around poor management.

There is no reason for the two roles to be that different. Anybody can become a good manager by learning the attributes of success, and interestingly they tend to be very similar to those of leaders.

If you think of great managers you've had, no doubt they had the following attributes:

• ability to motivate
• capacity to win and hold trust
• adaptability and flexibility
• intelligence, and
• accountability

Well, guess what, according to the book "On Leadership" by John Gardner, they are the exact characteristics leaders possess?

I agree with Bryan Hattingh's comments, "All managers should be required to lead, as they have people working for them."