Follow the Leader?

It astounds me at the stories that I hear concerning managers and their employees. I sometimes wonder what the purpose of such titles are as "Manager" and subordinate. How is it that a word as simple as "Manager" provides a person with a means to treating others negatively? Understanding that all businesses need structure and hierarchy, I find it confusing how some manage to find their way to a role of leadership when they lack even the simplest of people skills. It makes me wonder how many people need to be elevated to a level of status just to feel as if their day or their lives are complete versus having a passion for what you do and showing it in your daily work.


Leadership is a piece of a puzzle - one necessary to complete the big picture but without the other pieces is incomplete in itself. Leadership is respecting your team members and your employees, not barking orders and dictating with an iron fist. Being a leader of a team doesn't mean you should be good at giving orders, it means you should be good at identifying the best facets of your teammates' skillsets and putting them in positions where they will be most effective and even enjoy. Leaders can spot true talent, not pretenders. Jim Collins ("Good to Great") is a big believer in "getting the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus (http://www.jimcollins.com/lab/firstWho/p2.html)." I couldn't agree more. With the right people on the bus, management is easy.



Next time you are in the position to lead your peers, instead of getting angry or issuing commands try getting opinions and asking what they would do. Examine process, not individuals. Improve your methodology and process so you don't make the same mistakes repeatedly. You will be surprised what a calm, methodical approach will accomplish instead of acting like a hot-headed idiot.

Peace.