LEADERSHIP (Part 2)

LEADERSHIP (Part 2)
By Tommy Franks

Recently, I have determined that leading and managing work hand in glove. In today's society, we need both elements. For simplicity, let's define managing and leading in the following terms.
Managing: Getting things done through people.
Leading: Inspiring people to want to get things done.

Supervisors are both managers and leaders at the same time. Directing is a management function, but its main purpose is to provide leadership to make it possible to manage. Both functions are necessary and should reinforce each other. Leading is the human side of managing. It infuses work with spirit, purpose, and direction. It inspires people to be all they can be while accomplishing the mission.

Managers who are deficient in leadership skills will fail to infuse people with the enthusiasm and passion often required to overcome obstacles and achieve extraordinary accomplishments.

Leaders lacking management acumen will waste resources by inspiring people to do the wrong things or do the right things only through exhausting effort and excessive cost. Therefore, the debate continues over which role is more important. Some leaders feel that bureaucrats won't let them lead properly. Some managers feel that unless controlled, reckless leaders will squander resources. Our culture favors the leader; however, both roles are equally important. Good leaders realize they need management skills to meet goals.

Sometimes, confusion arises over these roles because people adopt the wrong role for the situation. As leaders/managers, we seem to emphasize one role and ignore the other. We need both leadership and management skills. We must find a way to integrate the processes of both roles.

Directing empowers us to lead. Through written instructions, supervisors usually provide direction through close personal contact. This is challenging, but made possible through competent leadership.

Leadership is the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization. Significantly, leadership is what makes managing exciting and fulfilling. It adds passion and meaning to uninspired work. Leaders provide vision and direction, embrace values and ethics, set goals and objectives, and win acceptance and commitment from those they lead.

Leaders want to lead for the same reason managers want to manage…they want to make a difference. As managers, we must be permeated with the "will to manage". Leaders need to be instilled with "the will to lead". Leaders want to lead. Managers want to manage!

Furthermore, good leaders are also followers! They take orders from bosses and directions from others. They spend as much time following as they do leading. They are expected to impart follower skills by example and training. We must learn to follow before being chosen to lead. We are responsible for grooming followers to become future leaders.

Some myths about following are: Followers are mere hired hands and order takers. Following simply means doing as told. Leading and following are mutually exclusive. Leaders are more important than followers. Anyone can follow. These are myths!

Leaders and followers change roles often. Leaders will fail if they will not gracefully assume a follower's role when called upon to do so, especially since everyone has a boss. Generous leaders know when to defer to authority or share it with others. Likewise, good followers take the lead when leaders aren’t around.

Leaders groom followers to take risks, control their own work, think independently, assert their views, be self-starters, work without close supervision, and step in when others drop the ball. In order for this to happen smoothly, teamwork is needed. Leaders groom followers through team-building. This eliminates rivalry and enhances cooperation. Team members build cohesion, regulate themselves, and do not always need a formal leader.

If given chances to lead, followers grow to appreciate the dimensions of the effort and gain insight of their leadership attributes. Our personality will influence the style we tend to use. However, we must be flexible. Do not use the same style for all situations. At times we must be highly directive; other times we will be more accommodating. Always be aware of the situation and the style it calls for. As the situation changes, we change our style accordingly.

Guidance is information or advice a decision maker provides when assigning tasks. It's a broad form of direction encouraging self-reliance, initiative, and rationale. Most decision makers appreciate someone who can work without detailed instructions and close supervision. Rather than giving details on how we want something done, we should issue guidelines for what must be done.

Proper guidance removes constraints of detailed instructions and close supervision. This sets people free to pursue innovative solutions. Moreover, the decision maker avoids micro managing and can focus on larger issues. We must remember this when assigning tasks!

The amount of guidance one provides or furnishes depends on information and other resources available…the complexity of the task…the decision maker's management style. Working under broad guidance gives the subordinate flexibility, encourages initiative, builds morale and self-confidence, and unleashes creativity. Give directions verbally if possible. It builds trust. People accept verbal instructions as a vote of confidence. Oral instructions also promote understanding, acceptance, and commitment.

The way you treat people and the expectations you hold for them will influence how well they perform. When providing guidance and directions, treat people with dignity and hold high expectations for their success. They will then perform great.

Eliza Doolittle said, "…the difference between a lady and a flower girl is NOT how she behaves but how she’s treated" (Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw). (Read it again!)

We're more likely to spark motivation by providing an environment that encourages people to satisfy their growth needs through their work. Examples of growth needs are as follows: Achievement, Recognition, Responsibility, Advancement, and Freedom. We must unleash motivation. We can help people unleash their motivation and channel it constructively to satisfy growth needs by providing example, inspiration, encouragement, removal of barriers, meaningful work, and incentives.

One approach is job enlargement. This means adding tasks to the job to add variety and develop skills. However, please note. This may have limited value as a motivator. If the person gains no power or freedom by doing additional tasks, he's likely to view "enlargement" as a ploy to get him to do more work. So use discretion at this juncture. A much better approach that seems to work with most people is job enrichment. This means structuring the job so people can satisfy their needs while achieving organizational objectives. This increases personal satisfaction and commitment.

Frederick Herzberg suggests that work itself can be fulfilling. People will do a good job if the job is somewhat challenging through enrichment; i.e., upward mobility, timely feedback, self-regulation, freedom to innovate, control of resources, and access to key people. Keep in mind that some jobs are inherently enriched, while others are more challenging.

As a subordinate, you need to have a good relationship with your boss. Believe me, it's in your best interest. Don't delude yourself by assuming you don't need your boss. Get to know your boss's priorities. Provide your boss more than enough information to make good decisions. Your boss is the boss. Pay attention to what he/she says. Don't get into the doghouse by assuming your boss doesn't need you. Do not assume that your boss will: give you resources without being asked, be satisfied with your work if nothing's said about it, have a stake in your career development, or be solely responsible for your success.

To build a better working relationship with your boss, follow these guidelines:
If your boss is vague, fill the voids with questions. If possible, get answers or clarification from your boss or those close to him/her. In reference to preferences, learn how your boss prefers to receive information. Always clarify your boss's priorities, for they're ever changing. Walk a mile in your boss's shoes. Look at the future. What lies in store for both of you? Keep your boss informed - both good news and bad. Also, when attending social events, don't just talk about work.

Leadership Objectives:

Apply leadership principles to managing.
Lead and groom followers.
Provide guidance and direction.
Apply motivational techniques to work assignments.
Manage the relationship with your boss.

Managing and Leading Techniques:

Managing is getting things done through people.
Leading is inspiring people to want to get things done.
Directing is a management function, but its main purpose is to provide leadership to make it possible to manage.
Managers handle things, leaders inspire people.
We must manage and lead at the same time
Managers lacking leadership skills will fail to inspire people.
Leaders lacking management acumen will waste resources by inspiring people to do the wrong things.
The confusion arises over these roles because people adopt the wrong role for the situation or fail to integrate the processes of both roles.
Remember: We manage things but lead people.
Leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish the mission by providing purpose, direction, and motivation.
Leaders must have the initiative and the will to lead.
Leaders are also followers! They take orders and directions from others. One must learn to follow before being chosen to lead.
Good followers take the lead when leaders aren’t around.
Use a leadership style to fit the situation: Tell, Sell, Consult, and Join. Don’t use the same style for all situations.
Guidance is information a decision maker provides when assigning tasks. It's a broad form of direction that encourages initiative.
Give directions orally if possible - it builds trust.
Spark motivation by providing an environment that encourages people to satisfy their growth needs through their work.
Enrich the job: upward challenges, freedom, and self-regulation.
Take the lead to manage the relationship with your boss. You have more to lose if you don’t.
Walk a mile in your boss’s shoes.