Seek Significance, Find Success

One of the worst things that can happen in a company is a manager gets hired in what is a leadership position. Managers and Leaders are not the same, but many people cannot distinguish the difference. It’s usually the Manager that can’t make this distinction, yet it’s the employees and company that suffer.

The largest difference is a manager manages things and a leader leads people. A manager decides the goals of the department or company (the What), decides how to obtain them, and then delegates/tells the employees How they are going to obtain the goals. The doers or employees are not allowed any input into the How in order to obtain the goals. The problem is, generally speaking, the employees are better at determining the How to obtain the What, but a Manager doesn’t have the ability or security to allow others to be better than him/her. Therefore, the employees are not bought in, have lots of questions like, “why are we doing it this way” and in lieu of focusing on the end goal are more concerned about “what the heck are we doing this for?” It becomes the water cooler conversation. Then employees will do just enough to be compliant to the direction of the manager. They spend more time talking among themselves about what a bad decision the How is and that it will never obtain the What. The Manager then either begins to get upset with the employees or merely fails to obtain the What. The Manager then blames the employees and eventually has to hire new employees. The new employees, excited to have found a new job, give an energy boost to the environment until the Manager destroys their spirit and the cycle continues.

In contrast, a Leader decides the goals of the department or company (the What), then joins with the employees to determine the How. The leader then gets the team unified, guides them, sets parameters around the How that was decided by the employees and watches the employees excel because the Leader now has 100% buy in from the employees and the employees feel like something bigger is going on than just punching time and getting paid. The employees are part of the company’s success, not just a tool of the company. The employees now have worth, value, purpose and identify with the company’s goals. Leadership and the employees are aligned in purpose which, in turn, makes the employees committed to the cause because they have a vested interest in the success of the new direction. They are responsible for determining the How. Managers demand compliance, Leaders obtain commitment, and this is a huge difference.

Managers look at reports, find problems and want to change the way things are done, which will work until the next problem. Leaders look at reports, find problems and change the way people think, which will prevent the next problem. Managers are all too concerned that somebody else just might get the credit so they have to keep their people down. As they keep people down the people arrive at 8, leave at 5 and muddle through the day doing just enough to not get fired. A Manager drives people from the rear as if they are driving cattle, motivating through fear of the employee losing a job and having to go through the misery of finding another job. This is a company that is confused. At social gatherings, these employees are embarrassed to say whom they work for. They say things like “the company makes widgets”.

A Leader finds purpose in empowering other people and the Leader is confident and secure enough to give not a thought to who gets the credit. A Leader grows people and the people find identity with the success of the company. This is a company no one can stop. These employees wear shirts with the company logo on it to social gatherings and they say things like, “we make widgets”.

A Leader is concerned about 6 months and 6 years from now, a Manager is concerned about 6 minutes and 6 days from now. A Leader spots challenges before they happen and changes course to avoid the challenge before it slows progress. A Manager spots a problem when it happens and changes course after the challenge has already slowed progress. A Leader cares about people and uses things, a Manager uses people and cares about things.

Have you ever hired a Manager in what is a Leadership position? If you answer yes, then you either have been or currently are in a frustrating situation. The growth you want will not occur unless you either change your Manager into a Leader or change your Manager. The situation is not going to change until somebody else does and that somebody may have to be you.

Are you currently a Manager in a Leadership position? It may be time to evaluate this for more than a moment. Can you change? Try allowing your team to give you the How and trust them to show you they are capable. Be secure enough for your team to be better than you. Now, now, now I am not saying let them decide and leave them alone. A Leader guides. A Leader serves and removes obstacles. If you can begin this one step, watch the buy in that you will receive from your team. People that previously hated their jobs and company will have renewed purpose. Instead of just being compliant you will witness commitment. It’s a significant difference.

In my professional career there is nothing as rewarding as leaving behind people who themselves have become Leaders or who have found purpose, value, and confidence under my Leadership. Its eternally rewarding. Like a boat that leaves a wake of water waves behind those people ripple into the lives of others. When people come back to you years after they are no longer in your employ and tell you what an impact you have had on their lives, it is significant.

Now, please don’t @ me because I spoke poorly of Managers. There is a place in business for Managers, but it’s simply not in a Leadership position.

I would submit to you that many in business seek success thinking what will be most rewarding for them; however, some seek significance; and find both. When I refer to significance, I am categorically not referring to followers on social media. I am specifically saying you success is found by positively impacting the lives of those you lead.

Leave nothing to chance!

David