Weekly Thought – November 26, 2024
Fred appreciated ideas. His idea of “great fun” was gathering with others who were intrigued with thinking about life as he was. A weekend of friends in Houston served as an impetus for “The Twenty-Five.” Those who gathered in Texas agreed to send an article, idea, or quote to each of the others once a month. A Dallas CEO had an entire file cabinet drawer dedicated to these offerings. One of the ideas which sparked conversation was the difference between management and leadership.
Learn the Value of Administration
Leadership and management are two different skill sets. Many times good leaders are not good administrators. Likewise, good managers are not always leaders.
Peter Drucker, the man known as the father of modern management, defined the difference as: “Managers focus on doing things right, while a leader focuses on doing the right things.” Another distinction by Peter Drucker is “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”
Our country had a President who was an exceptional manager. As an executive he was known to read 300 pages of reports before breakfast each morning. He was certainly the best-informed chief executive, but struggled to provide leadership by getting people to follow him.
Other Presidents demonstrated great leadership qualities, while failing to excel in the day to day details. Many of these had strong communication skills which amplified their acceptance as a leader the people chose to follow.
Even if a leader is not strong in administration, he/she must recognize the crucial value of these skills. Bringing top notch administrative skills to the team is critical, whether it is leading a country or an organization. If the leader delegates widely, the principal of “appreciate it, develop it, and then leave it alone.” Picking the right people with the right skills is the key.
Oversupervision is the great sin often committed against managers. The leader’s task is to say, “Here’s where we are, and there’s where we ought to go.” The administrator’s task is to determine how to get there.
A successful organization has leadership and management. You lead people but you manage work.
Carefully consider this week: 1) Am I more gifted in leadership or management? 2) How am I developing my skill and contributing to my organization? 3) Who could I help with the distinction between leadership and management?
Words of Wisdom: “You lead people and manage work.”
Wisdom from the Word: “Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘What you are doing is not good! You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you, you are not able to do it by yourself.’” (Exodus 18:17,18 NET Bible)