I was thinking about the question of leading versus managing. As early as I can remember I have been managed. It started at birth with my parents. They were my first experience to management. Any of these phrases sound familiar, “clean your room, do your homework, eat your vegetables, stop crying, be home by dark, say please, say thank you”. I think you get the picture. Of course it didn’t stop there. Your siblings depending on where you fall in the order started to manage you. “stop touching me, put your toys away, brush your teeth, get a bath, pick your clothes up, share with others”.
And it continued as you developed new friendships, “don’t date that person, stop being friends with this one, let’s go this bar, don’t wear that outfit”. Next, we have teachers who tell us “pay attention, sit up straight, do your homework”. Our relationships with our spouses at times can feel like we are being managed. The pattern continues when you land your first job.
I can remember meeting my first manager. I had just graduated and was starting my first media sales job at a small radio station in northern Ohio. I think back on that day driving to the station with my college degree, excitement of entering adulthood, my anticipation of being trained by someone that was going to teach me the business and the short cuts to making a lot of money. I walked in the radio the station and was greeted by the General manager (who also was the sales manager) and he said, “Welcome. Let me show your desk and accounts I would like you to focus on selling.” He handed me the yellow page’s book which, today, would be like telling me Google – the World Wide Web – would be my account list. I asked about the training program and he replied “we don’t have a formalized training program – you have to figure it out”. I thought to myself, “Is this what being a manager is all about?” On that day, I made a decision if I was ever given the opportunity to become a manager I would do it so differently.
“If you think about it, we have been managed most of our life”. So we continue the pattern we learned by managing others. We manage processes, goals, expenses, revenue, systems and now our team. Managers will tell you what you have to do and the tasks needed to accomplish it.
As a leader, our responsibility is managing certain outcomes needed to succeed in business. It’s shifting our views when it comes to leading our team. Most of us don’t like to be told what to do. Most of us want to learn and grow from the journey by discovering what it took to achieve it. Leaders give you the vision and understands it’s a process of using your strengths to accomplish the same outcome. We provide guidance and direction. It takes real motivation with great intentions to coach others to their best and help them achieve their outcomes professionally and personally. It takes energy and patience to realize that we all started as a seller prior to becoming a coach and leader of a team. We have been given a great opportunity to develop others. We have been given the opportunity to engage, inspire and empower someone else.
“Leaders know the way, leaders go the way and leaders show the way”!
How do you lead your team?