I am in corporate communications, and as such, we often have training sessions on various subjects like teamwork and leadership.
I am happy that we are given this opportunity to learn, as well as to enhance our skills. But I have often wondered if leadership comes automatically when one reaches management level.
Are there any differences between the two? I will greatly appreciate your thoughts on this.
Sincerely,
Anna F.
Dear Anna,
Thank you for your letter and your interest in our column. While the management level gives us opportunities for leadership, how we transform into leaders will depend on how we handle our day-to-day challenges.
Being in management does not automatically make us a good leader, and as we all know, it is always a work in progress.
What is the difference between a mere manager and a great leader? Bill Murphy Jr. cited seven points in his article “7 Things Great Leaders Always Do (But Mere Managers Always Fear),” and I find things very insightful.
1 A great leader connects daily work with great goals. A mere manager only focuses on the short-term.
“It’s easy to get caught focusing on things that are urgent, rather than important,” Murphy said. “A mere manager spends most energy on the daily grind, and harangues his people for not achieving short-term goals, regardless of their long-term importance.”
What matters to a truly great leader, on the other hand, is what matters most.
2 A great leader thinks of people as people. A mere manager only sees titles or organizational charts.
Murphy warned that “if you catch yourself referring to people on your team by their job titles as often as their names. . .you are on your way to becoming more of a manager than a leader.”
A real leader, he said, “thinks of people individually or holistically, and tries to understand their strengths and weaknesses, goals and interests.
3 A great leader wants to earn respect. A mere manager wants to be liked.
Great leaders aren’t always the most likeable people—think of the Isaacson’s bio on Steve Jobs. In the long run, great leaders recognize their job is to get people to do things they might not want to do, in order to achieve goals they want to achieve.
Contrast that with “mere managers” who either want to be liked to try to convince themselves they don’t care. Great leaders know that cordiality is necessary, but also that they might sometimes have to sacrifice short-term likability in favor of long-term respect.
4 A great leader is thrilled when team members achieve great things. A mere manager is threatened.
“In the grand scheme of things, a mere manager doesn’t have much,” Murphy said. “Thus, when a team member outgrows his role, a manager worries first about being outshone.”
A true leader, on the other hand, takes his or her team members’ accomplishments as a point of pride, and recognizes that the mark of a great leader isn’t creating followers, but instead developing other leaders.
5 A great leader empowers people with honesty and transparency. A mere manager parcels out information as if it costs him personally.
A mere manager fears that sharing information can be tantamount to giving up leverage. So he or she holds the cards close to the vest—and undermines the team’s performance in the process.
A great leader understands that all else being equal, transparency shows respect for your team and helps them do the work.
6 A great leader understands that if the team falls short, he is responsible. A mere manager blames the team.
Murphy said that “it all comes down to fear. A mere manager hasn’t actually earned anyone’s respect, and so he or she is constantly afraid of losing power. If the team doesn’t accomplish its goals, the mere manager is primarily concerned about losing his or her role on an organization chart.”
A true leader, on the other hand, recognizes that no matter why the team falls short, he or she is to blame, and them spurs the team to do better.
7 A great leader cares mainly about results. A mere manager is more concerned with the process.
The main rule that a true leader lives by that it’s better to be resourceful, and that it’s always easier to get forgiveness than permission, Murphy said. The leader focuses on the forest, the manager is concerned with the trees.
We hope that our column has given you some insights, and wish you luck as you navigate the corporate world.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the UK-based International Public Relations Association, the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the señior vice president for marketing and communications of SM, is the local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.