Stop and think about those whom you consider “great leaders.” What makes them so? Are they the ones who know all of the ins and outs of an operation and could move mountains by themselves if need be? You know as well as I that the definition of a great leader is quite...
Both my husband and I have had the privilege of working for supervisors who are known, by name and deed, around the country. The crazy part of these experiences is that neither of us was aware of the widespread prestige of these people until after working for them for a while. It was an interesting evolution of realization into their greatness as we were drawn to the fields through our own interests, and we educated ourselves in ways that positioned us to pursue vital careers. Then, once in the doors, there was so much attention given to us and what we had to offer our respective teams that the status of our leaders wasn’t even “a thing.”
Often, the vision of what it means to be in charge and the reality of it are often very different. The skewed vision is probably ingrained from childhood where, as children, we couldn’t wait to grow up and no longer be told what to do. This ideal is further perpetuated when we are entry-level employees looking up the hierarchy just knowing there will be a day where we’re in charge and won’t have to account for ourselves or answer to anyone. We don’t just know it; we can’t wait for it!
And, then, we grow enough to finally have the years and experience it takes to land a position of authority and be in charge of others. It is then that we have choices to make regarding how we interact with, or manage, others because it is also here that we find effective management is not a one-size-fits-all, “Because I said so” proposition.
Asking the difference between the definition of a leader and of a manager may seem redundant. After all, the two roles have overlapping responsibilities and requirements. In an article written by James Kerr, it is noted: “There’s a difference between leadership and management. Leaders look forward and imagine the possibilities that the future may bring in order to set direction. Managers monitor and adjust today’s work, regularly looking backward to ensure that current goals and objectives are being met. The best leaders lead and let their management teams manage the work at hand.”
Q: We are a group of entrepreneurs excited about making our socially responsible start-up a success. Part of that success is bringing the right kind of Executive Director on board. In our discussions, we are struggling with how to draft a compelling position description to get the right person in the door. One of our biggest issues is, in our searching, should we highlight our need for results, or should we talk more about our desire to have a strong work culture that emphasizes professional development and personal satisfaction?
From my experience working with leaders of all kinds, I have noticed many different styles and approaches can be effective depending on the context, situation, organization or personalities involved. But, there seem to be four essential characteristics that always need to be present. Even those who do not have an official title or leadership position can lead “from the seat” if demonstrating these qualities.
How fitting that the first letters of each quality form the acronym TEAM since the ability to create a sense of team is the gift of the most outstanding leaders.
Independence Day got me thinking about the meaning of the word independence, which led me to wonder if I could come up with a strong, positive leadership trait for each letter of the alphabet. Here is my unscientific, yet empirical, list of qualities consistently demonstrated by leaders I admire
