Are You a Leader or a Manager?
By Dr. Howard Gauthier
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As a professor of sports leadership many people have asked me over the years, what’s the difference between leadership and management. In our leadership class we study this question, and as you can imagine there are awide array of thoughts and definitions. So I ask you, what’s the difference between management and leadership? Do you classify yourself as a manager or a leader? |
One of the best definitions we’ve studied suggests that leadership is a process whereby a person influences a group of people toward a common goal. Do you buy this definition? If not, what would you change? If you do like this definition, what is the common goal (or vision) that you’ve set for the future of your team, and how do you best influence your people to achieve this vision? Leadership guru John Maxwell boils it down and suggests that leadership is about casting vision and motivating people. In other words, as a leader you need to provide a clear vision of how your team or organization will look in the future. You need to see the big picture (viewing with a wide-angle lens) and understand the obstacles that lie in front of you and your organization as you pursue this goal. Within this vision you need to identify your team’s mission - what the organization’s fundamental purpose (mission) is for existence beyond just making money or winning games. You also need to identify and implement what your unyielding core values are, align these core values with your mission/purpose, and establish a long-term strategic plan for how you plan to achieve your vision. You can see that these actions are big picture, wide-angle lens activities.
Management on the other hand deals more with making sure that the daily tasks are completed and completed correctly (the microscopic lens). Maxwell shares that management is a process of assuring that the objectives of the organization are implemented. More specifically, a manager is involved in (a) the planning process, (b) organizing the team’s activities, (c) staffing the organization/activity/event, and (d) controlling the people and tasks so you make sure that the tasks are completed and completed correctly.
An example of the difference between management and leadership comes from the history of how McDonalds Corporation became what it is today. In 1940, brothers Dick and Mac McDonald opened the original McDonalds in San Bernardino California. For eight years they had a drive-thru restaurant that served hamburgers, hotdogs, barbeque, and milkshakes using carhops, nice China dinnerware and silverware. The brothers had a business that was starting to thrive. Attempting to change with the times, in 1948 the brothers eliminated the fine dinnerware, utensils and carhops, and changed their concept to include paper packaging, reduced their menu to primarily hamburgers, fries, and beverages; and served only walk-up customers. They focused on providing a quality product, great customer service, and fulfilling orders within 30 seconds or less. They were good managers of their business and it showed. McDonalds was efficient and profitable, and the brothers began to discuss the concept of franchising.
In 1952 the brothers began franchising. Their first sale was to Neil Fox who wanted to open a franchise in Phoenix and call the restaurant “McDonalds”. This was a head scratcher for the brothers. They believed that nobody in Phoenix knew what McDonalds was and they believed that Fox would fail because of the lack of name recognition. In all, the brothers sold 15 franchises in a two-year period, of which only 10 opened for business. The franchise concept was failing. Dick and Mac just lacked the vison and strategy of what the future could be. But along came their milkshake mixer salesperson, Ray Kroc. Kroc could sell, and he could get people to buy into his vision. In 1955 Kroc and the brothers struck a deal about franchising the restaurant, and six years later Kroc purchased the company from the brothers for $2.7 million. Kroc could see the future for McDonalds, and he strategically moved the restaurant from one thriving entity in San Bernardino to multiple restaurants throughout the world. Today, there are more than 38,000 locations in over 100 countries. Dick and Mac where great managers, establishing a great concept, efficient systems, and a great business model for one restaurant; but it took a leader, Ray Kroc, to come along with his vision and strategy to make McDonalds what it is today.
So again, I ask you, are you a manager or a leader? Do you look at the big picture through a wide-angle lens (leadership), or are you more concerned with managing your employees (microscopic lens) and making sure they are completing their daily tasks? Most likely you fall somewhere in-between these two extremes. The leadership side of you is establishing long-term goals and creating strategic plans, while the management side of you is making sure that the duties are being carried-out as they should be so your group can produce and succeed. With this in mind, what steps do you need to take to become a better leader (moving your team toward a common goal or vision), or what steps do you need to take to become a better manager (planning, organizing, staffing, and controlling)? As managers and leaders, we need to continue to develop and improve.
Dr. Howard Gauthier is a Professor in Sports Science at Idaho State University where he teaches courses in leadership and management. Dr. Gauthier is the CEO of the Institute for Positive Leadership, and is an author, writer, and an active speaker on positive leadership and culture. He is the author of five books, eight e-books, several research articles, and hundreds of blogs. Check out his book, The Positive Leader at www.ThePositiveLeader.org.
Management on the other hand deals more with making sure that the daily tasks are completed and completed correctly (the microscopic lens). Maxwell shares that management is a process of assuring that the objectives of the organization are implemented. More specifically, a manager is involved in (a) the planning process, (b) organizing the team’s activities, (c) staffing the organization/activity/event, and (d) controlling the people and tasks so you make sure that the tasks are completed and completed correctly.
An example of the difference between management and leadership comes from the history of how McDonalds Corporation became what it is today. In 1940, brothers Dick and Mac McDonald opened the original McDonalds in San Bernardino California. For eight years they had a drive-thru restaurant that served hamburgers, hotdogs, barbeque, and milkshakes using carhops, nice China dinnerware and silverware. The brothers had a business that was starting to thrive. Attempting to change with the times, in 1948 the brothers eliminated the fine dinnerware, utensils and carhops, and changed their concept to include paper packaging, reduced their menu to primarily hamburgers, fries, and beverages; and served only walk-up customers. They focused on providing a quality product, great customer service, and fulfilling orders within 30 seconds or less. They were good managers of their business and it showed. McDonalds was efficient and profitable, and the brothers began to discuss the concept of franchising.
In 1952 the brothers began franchising. Their first sale was to Neil Fox who wanted to open a franchise in Phoenix and call the restaurant “McDonalds”. This was a head scratcher for the brothers. They believed that nobody in Phoenix knew what McDonalds was and they believed that Fox would fail because of the lack of name recognition. In all, the brothers sold 15 franchises in a two-year period, of which only 10 opened for business. The franchise concept was failing. Dick and Mac just lacked the vison and strategy of what the future could be. But along came their milkshake mixer salesperson, Ray Kroc. Kroc could sell, and he could get people to buy into his vision. In 1955 Kroc and the brothers struck a deal about franchising the restaurant, and six years later Kroc purchased the company from the brothers for $2.7 million. Kroc could see the future for McDonalds, and he strategically moved the restaurant from one thriving entity in San Bernardino to multiple restaurants throughout the world. Today, there are more than 38,000 locations in over 100 countries. Dick and Mac where great managers, establishing a great concept, efficient systems, and a great business model for one restaurant; but it took a leader, Ray Kroc, to come along with his vision and strategy to make McDonalds what it is today.
So again, I ask you, are you a manager or a leader? Do you look at the big picture through a wide-angle lens (leadership), or are you more concerned with managing your employees (microscopic lens) and making sure they are completing their daily tasks? Most likely you fall somewhere in-between these two extremes. The leadership side of you is establishing long-term goals and creating strategic plans, while the management side of you is making sure that the duties are being carried-out as they should be so your group can produce and succeed. With this in mind, what steps do you need to take to become a better leader (moving your team toward a common goal or vision), or what steps do you need to take to become a better manager (planning, organizing, staffing, and controlling)? As managers and leaders, we need to continue to develop and improve.
Dr. Howard Gauthier is a Professor in Sports Science at Idaho State University where he teaches courses in leadership and management. Dr. Gauthier is the CEO of the Institute for Positive Leadership, and is an author, writer, and an active speaker on positive leadership and culture. He is the author of five books, eight e-books, several research articles, and hundreds of blogs. Check out his book, The Positive Leader at www.ThePositiveLeader.org.