The Effective Manager

To survive in the twenty-first century, organizations are going to need a new generation of managerial leaders who lead more and manage less. Many people today are seeking to understand — and while others are writing and researching about — the concept and practices of leadership. There are a great many reasons for the popularity of the topic, including that organizations are faced with changes like never before. The concept of leadership is relevant to any aspect of ensuring effectiveness in organizations and in managing change.

Leadership is a major aspect of management. But there is a profound difference between management and leadership, and both are important. To manage means “to bring about; to accomplish; to have charge of or responsibility for.” Leading is “influencing, guiding in direction, course, or action.” Great leadership is borne out of a never-ending process of self-improvement, learning, experience, training, and education. Your position as a manager, supervisor, etc. gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the organization. This power does not make you a leader…it simply makes you the boss. Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve higher goals, rather than simply bossing people around.

Who then is a Leader? To define this, let’s first look at what leadership is all about. Leadership is a process by which a person influences other to accomplish an objective and direct an organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. The organization becomes cohesive and coherent in the sense that the leader unifies, solidifies, and articulates its members through influence to not only buy the vision of the organization but to also live it. The Leaders carry out this process of influence by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills. Therefore, a leader does not boss but lead its members to become better employees.

The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization. In the eyes of those you are leading, your leadership is everything you do that effects the organization’s objectives and their well being. Respected leaders concentrate on what they are (such as beliefs and character), what they know (such as job, tasks, and human nature), and what they do (such as implementing, motivating, and provide direction). Leadership is not a POSITION but the life that we LIVE! Your position or title does not make you a LEADER. Your influence in life has less to do with your position or title than it does with the life you live. As John Maxwell said, it is not about position but production. It is not the education we get, but the empowerment we give, that makes a difference to others?

Effective managers that lead, manage through times of change(they determine direction, they are goal-setters and goal-getters, they move organizations from where they are to where they need to be),they make things happen (they shape the culture, they assume management risk)they are revolutionaries (they face reality and mobilize appropriate resources; they encourage others to do the same). A good manager does things right. A leader does the right things. Doing the right things implies a goal, a direction, an objective, a vision, a dream, a path, a reach. Most losing organizations are over-managed and under-led. Their managers accomplish the wrong things beautifully and efficiently. They climb the wrong wall. Managing is about efficiency. Leading is about effectiveness. Managing is about how. Leading is about what and why. Management is about systems, controls, procedures, policies, and structure. Leadership is about trust — about people.

A Leading manager is someone who has the capacity to create a compelling vision that takes people to a new place, and to translate that vision into action. They draw other people to themselves by enrolling them in the vision. This they achieve by inspiring the others, and thus, empowering to perform. See you at the top as you lead more and manage less!

See you at the Top!

Dr. Elvis UKPAKA

Author. Trainer. Coach. Consultant

Lead Consultant, Visiondrivers Mgt. Consulting

+234 810 654 5127, +234 817 123 5284

www.visiondrivers.com, www.elvisukpaka.com

info@visiondrivers.com, info@elvisukpaka.com