Have you ever wondered why some people seem to effortlessly climb the corporate ladder while others stay stuck in the same position for years? Or maybe you've been promoted to a leadership role but feel like you're struggling to make the impact you want? Or you just want to be ready when this happens.
All good reasons for wanting to better understand this topic, so the focus of this blog is to show you how to become both an exceptional leader and a skilled manager, giving you the tools to accelerate your career and make a lasting impact in your organization.
It's a common misconception that leadership and management are the same thing. We often use these terms interchangeably, but the truth is, they're distinct skill sets that complement each other. And here's the kicker: to truly excel in today's fast-paced business world, you need to master both.
Think about it. How many times have you seen or heard of a brilliant visionary leader fail because they couldn't manage the day-to-day operations of their team? Or a meticulous manager who keeps everything running smoothly but can't inspire their team to reach new heights?
The secret to skyrocketing your career lies in understanding the nuances between leadership and management, and then developing both skill sets then changing where your emphasis as your career evolves. It's not about choosing one over the other – it's about finding the perfect balance and being flexible (skilled?) enough to shift emphasis as needed.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "That sounds great, but how do I actually do that?" Don't worry, I've got you. Read on...
You see, quite early in my career I struggled with this question. I was a good manager – organized, efficient, and detail-oriented. But I knew I was missing something. I wasn't inspiring my team the way I wanted to, and I felt like I was always playing catch-up with the visionaries in my organisation.
One of my goals was to create an environment where discretionary effort arose as a matter of course – without pressure or even expectation. So, I did what any self-respecting overachiever would do: I jumped headfirst into research. I read books, attended courses, and picked the brains of every successful leader and manager I could find. And you know what? I discovered something surprising.
The key to becoming both a great leader and an effective manager isn't about working harder or longer hours. It is truly about working smarter and developing a new mindset. Seeing old problems in a new way.
Here's what I learned:
1. Firstly, understand the fundamental differences between leadership and management. Leadership is about setting the vision and inspiring people to follow it. Management is about organizing and executing to achieve that vision. As the legendary management guru Peter Drucker put it, "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."
2. Develop your forward-thinking skills. Leaders are always looking to the future, while managers typically focus on the present and past. Set aside regular times to think about where your team or organization needs to be in 6 months, a year, or even five years from now. This thinking time needs to be regular but not necessarily frequent. Once per quarter is more than adequate, especially at the start of your leadership journey.
3. Learn to balance instinct with analysis. Great leaders often rely on their gut feelings, while skilled managers use data and processes. Practice using both in your decision-making. As you gain experience, you'll learn when to trust your instincts and when to dig deeper into the data.
In fact, as your responsibilities grow, you will find yourself in an increasing number of situations where you don’t have all the information you’d like before the need to make a call.
This is when you exercise your judgement muscle.
4. Focus on influence, not just control. John Maxwell, a renowned leadership expert, said, "Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less." I’m not sure I am 100% on board with the sentiment but I certainly agree with the direction of this statement. While managers often rely on their positional authority, leaders inspire others to follow them willingly.
Leaders will typically rely on cross-functional support where their success is based on the contribution of those who do not work for them and are not subject to their authority. This is where influencing skills come to the fore, as they do in managing the expectations of key stakeholders both within, and external, to the organisation.
5. Cultivate a growth mindset. Leaders are always learning and adapting, while managers often stick to established procedures. Managers will operate within a framework, leaders will tend to define it.
Make it a habit to seek out new ideas and perspectives, even if they challenge your current way of thinking – or make you uncomfortable. Better the discomfort of growing than the frustration or disappointment of missed opportunities due to a fixable lack of knowledge or skills.
6. Practice vulnerability. This might sound counterintuitive but hear me out. It is one of the key areas where managers fail; their desire to present as invincible or always in complete control with all the answers. Brené Brown, a research professor and author, found that vulnerability is at the core of great leadership. She says, "Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome."
I want to bring something to your attention that only occurred to me when I was well advanced in my career. There’s a critical word that co-exists with vulnerability – courage. It plays a huge role in the success of leaders and is often glossed over.
Courage is required to be vulnerable but it is also the key ingredient in having a tough conversation, trying something new, to stand up for what you believe in or to rely on your judgement instead of succumbing to ‘analysis paralysis’.
Don’t underestimate the importance of courage in your success as a leader.
7. Master the art of delegation. As a manager, you need to know how to assign tasks effectively. As a leader, you need to empower your team to take ownership of their work. Strike a balance between providing clear instructions and giving people the freedom to find their own solutions. Kenneth Blanchard’s Situational Leadership model is the favourite tool in my delegation arsenal because it focuses on both competency and character.
8. Develop your emotional intelligence. This is crucial for both leadership and management. Understanding and managing your own emotions, as well as those of others, will help you navigate complex workplace dynamics and inspire your team to perform at their best. Here, introspection is key underpinned by confidence, courage and humility.
9. Create a culture of innovation. Leaders inspire creativity, while managers often focus on maintaining the status quo. Challenge yourself and your team to think outside the box regularly.
Simon Sinek, the author and motivational speaker, says, "The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe."
There is another implicit reference to courage here because living and working in a way that aligns with your values might actually require you to go out on a limb.
10. Practice servant leadership. This concept, popularized by Robert K. Greenleaf, emphasizes putting the needs of your team first. It's a powerful way to blend leadership and management skills. As you focus on helping your team succeed, you'll naturally become both a better leader and a more effective manager.
Now, I want to take a moment to talk about humility again. If you see yourself in the leadership role as an enabler, not an enforcer, not only will you get better engagement from your team but you also expand the types of role you can do because you operate with the philosophy that your role as a leader is to ask better questions, not to simply provide better directions or even expertise.
OK. There’s a lot here. You might be thinking, "How am I supposed to do all this on top of my regular workload?" Or “Where do I start?”.
I get it. I felt some of that when I first started on this journey. But here's the thing: you don't have to do it all at once. In fact, trying to change everything overnight is a recipe for burnout and frustration.
Instead, start small. Pick one or two areas to focus on first. Maybe you want to work on your forward-thinking skills or practice being more vulnerable with your team. Whatever you choose, commit to it for a month and see what happens.
You might be surprised at how quickly you start to see results. As you become more comfortable blending leadership and management skills, you'll find that your work becomes more rewarding and your impact grows. This might sound like I am reaching but I genuinely believe it can’t be any other way.
Closing comments - becoming both a great leader and an effective manager is a journey, not a destination. It's about continuous growth and learning. Warren Bennis, a pioneer in leadership studies, said,
"The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born – that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born."
Attitude and application will make you a great leader, not natural aptitude or inclination. You can choose this.
And hey, if you want to dive deeper into any of these strategies or just need a sounding board as you navigate this journey, we’re here to help. Let's hop on a quick call and chat about how we can potentially set you up for success. Just click here to schedule a time that works for you https://calendly.com/sam-seed-ba/30min.
Remember, the most successful people in any organization are those who can both lead (vision, inspiration and direction) and manage (execute) effectively. Are you ready to join their ranks?