Leaders are Labradoodles

September 13, 2011

 

The debate over whether leaders are born or made is becoming the chicken/egg debate for business. I’m still not sure of the answer. The debate over managers versus leaders is almost as old and contentious. I’m more sure on the answer to that one. Kind of.

Just like all Poodles are dogs but not all dogs are Poodles, all managers are leaders but not all leaders are managers. Management is a skill while Leadership is an ability. Managing is about the can-do things while Leading is about the will-do things. Managers coordinate the completion of tasks while Leaders create vision, mission and goals. Managers hoard information under the guise of confidentiality while Leaders share knowledge, empower and develop those around them.

And just like Poodles cannot instinctively guard like a Rottweiler or hunt like a Bloodhound, making the transition from manager to leader is challenging. So challenging, in fact, some people never make the leap. And that is ok. There is room in the dog show for all breeds! There is room in your organization for both as well. Having management and not leadership (or vice versa) doesn’t make less of an individual or an organization. In fact, organizations NEED both.

Someone has to organize and monitor the to-do list to make sure everything gets done. This is important and adds value to any organization. This is the basic level of leadership that all managers have. However, there is no doubt the most desirable are the people who not only have the grand idea but who can also develop the steps necessary to bring the idea to fruition and continually maintain it. The leader-manager hybrid is the ideal – the same way Poodle-hybrid dogs are in such high demand!

So if you are a manager looking to improve your leader street-cred, here’s what you can do:

-        Educate yourself. “Leaders are readers” is more than just a slogan for kids. It’s the truth! Leaders immerse themselves in literature about their industry. They read about the process and success of others to gain inspiration and ideas. If you are trying to improve your leadership abilities, start by reading about your industry and other success stories to gain greater knowledge and appreciation of the big picture.

-        Slow down. To improve leadership ability, managers have to learn to do less and be more. Instead of focusing so much on completing one task and moving onto the next, managers have to reconnect and realign with the larger vision and goals. Keeping the goal in mind takes pressure off the tough daily decisions managers are asked to make.

-        Give back. Managers have a tendency to soak in information and keep it to themselves. And just like a sponge becomes sour when it is too saturated, so does a manager. Squeeze your sponge! Share the knowledge and skills you have with others to make everyone better. This will lessen your load and improve productivity long term because people empowered people work smarter and harder.

Taking these steps will help free space in your mind and schedule to think more creatively and act more considerately … resulting in the development of new ideas and improvements … which enables the crossover from manager to leader to happen.  And just like that, you’re a Labradoodle!

Today’s guest post is from Buzz Rooney – HR professional and blogger. Besides having a really great name, she also has a really great blog and facebook page. Thanks Buzz for sharing your insights!

 

 

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