#1: Will the role be Leader, Manager or Both?
Brett Walker
Coach and Mentor for high performing specialists transitioning and growing into leadership and leaders looking to refocus and regain their sense of balance in their role
There are often posts comparing a Leader to a Manager, often inferring the Manager is some form of lesser being – maybe an autocratic, controlling individual devoid of any empathy, care or ability to motivate when compared to a Leader.
I prefer to look at it differently. My view is that most roles with responsibility for a team or function require both leadership and management competencies.
IMO it is important for people considering a move into a leadership role (whether its called a Manager or a Leader in the title) to understand and build competencies in both aspects that will be required. The mix can differ based on the makeup and responsibilities of the individual role.
Some competencies cross over and are hard to place in an individual management or leadership list. However, lists like those below can be illustrative. Note: Its they are not exhaustive.
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So, if you are looking to step up to a new role that includes Manager or Leader in its title its likely you’ll need both sets of competencies. You’ll need to be efficient and effective at managing the operational and business aspects as well as leading and developing people to achieve outcomes and enjoy what they are doing. Therefore, embrace and seek out learning opportunities in both.
This post is the first of a series I will be issuing over the next while to help those contemplating a move into leadership or still settling in.
If you are interested in how these competencies are complementary and how to develop yours further please reach out, as I’d love to chat or help!
I am Brett and I love supporting high performing specialists transitioning and growing into leadership and also leaders looking to refocus and regain their sense of balance in their role. I use a mix of coaching and mentoring.
Senior Operations Analyst - Enterprise Applications
6 个月Very well said Brett. I agree, most of the times you need ro have a mix of both management and leadership skills, especially if you have team to look after. Looking forward to read more from this series. Thank you
Storage and Backup Engineer
6 个月Everyone believes a Manager is lesser being than a Leader.
Head of Sales @ Assurity Consulting |Quality Engineering and Business Analysis
6 个月Hi Brett, I absolutely agree with the thrust of your argument. While you don't?need?to be both a leader and a manager to succeed in a specific role, the most effective individuals often integrate both strengths. Leadership without management can lead to great ideas without execution, while management without leadership can result in efficiency without direction. Therefore, developing both sets of skills can significantly enhance your effectiveness in any organisational role. I am looking forward to reading the next article. It would be interesting to examine the mix of leadership/management skillsets depending on the situation, e.g., BAU, Transformation, crisis, growth, etc.
Advisor - Economic Competitiveness and Geopolitical Dynamics
6 个月You draw out an interesting point Brett. It is astounding to see how many managers believe that leadership is a privilege that is free of burden of delivery accountability and vice versa.