How do organizations inspire workers undergoing so much change and competition in their lives? Many organizations are good at providing extrinsic rewards such as cash, promotions, and titles. Yet, contemporary organizations miss the key ingredient of good leadership.
In fact, most organizations won’t be successful without it. Managers can purchase better equipment or introduce a new process. However, the situation won’t improve until there is good leadership. What is leadership? There are a variety of leadership definitions. For my blog, leadership is defined as the ability to influence people to support a specific goal.
Corporations desire them. Militaries thrive on them. Churches praise them. Sadly, many people don’t understand the concept of good leadership. I will make a distinction between a great leader and great manager. In fact, leadership is not about being the boss or manipulating people for personal gain. Barbara Kellerman, author of Bad Leadership, defines bad leadership as “being unwilling or unable to control personal desires such as power instead of seeking for the common good.”
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She place bad leaders in two categories: ineffective and unethical. An ineffective leader achieves the desired objectives but falls short of their intentions. Kellerman explains that leaders are often judged ineffective because their efforts fail due to their methods and the end results. However, this situation is different in regards to ethics when leaders decide to act in unmoral ways before their followers.
I’ve seen passionate managers; however, they weren’t great leaders. These managers were zealots for getting the task completed and checking boxes. Their influence was directly related to their position in the organization, not their personal influence. Rick Joyner, author of Leadership Management, notes the qualities that make a good leader would make poor managers in general.
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What is the critical reason for this distinction? A manager must be detail-oriented to achieve success while a good leader must be concept-oriented. There are a few exceptions, however. Joyner explains that large organizations are usually bureaucratic and make it difficult for great leaders to rise to the top. In my organization, it is difficult to implement innovative processes due to a bureaucratic structure. Managers are rewarded for handling tasks, not inspiring people.
Organizations that want to have sustainable success must find ways to infuse good leadership into their organizations. All managers are not leaders. Organizations that do not understand this simple fact will leave themselves vulnerable to disaster. Some leaders are forced to start new organizations (for example, Steve Jobs of Apple). Countless leaders, especially change agents, are energized by their passion. I would say it is a critical component for effective organizations. If a manager wants a more “charged” organization, give them good leadership that inspires followers.
Why are organizations reluctant to deal with the issue of good leadership? What can be done to infuse contemporary organizations with good leaders?
© 2010 by Daryl D. Green
March 21, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Companies are reluctant to deal with the changes good leaders develop to increase good results or modified a current structure that can be more productive. Good leaders search for an effective progress all the time. Companies can challenge their leaders to be better leaders. As 3M or Alcoa do.
3M requests its leaders to develop new process, products or any activities in their areas to improve departmental activities. Some of 3M great products were developed this way. Post it was developed because of a religious worker from 3M. While singing in his church choir, Art Fry, a 3M scientist, tires of losing his place in the hymnal. So, he worked on a bookmark that’s lightly adhesive. At 3M, the leaders need to separate some time in their shift to work on some change. If some of their new indicated process are approved the leaders and their team get a reward in 3M products or commissions.
Alcoa asks their leaders to help the projects department with new ideas to intern improvement. When some of the projects will be developed someone in the department go to work in the project. Many times, this is a great opportunity for that individual shows its capacity to manage activities and possibly get a promotion. Alcoa departmental leaders look forward for these opportunities to appear and get some reward.
Source: http://www.3m.com/us/office/postit/pastpresent/history_tl.html
March 21, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Organizations may be reluctant due to the lack of knowledge in understanding the concept of good leadership. Is leadership an inherent trait or can it be taught? Perhaps understanding the leadership approaches that are studied today may help inspire companies to mentor young leaders into leadership roles within their company. Grooming employees that demonstrate natural leadership traits, skills, situational awareness, and task and relationship characteristics will be highly effective for a company. Their characteristics, whether intuitive or taught (or a combination of both) will bring success in achieving a common goal for an organization.
Reference: Leadership, 5th Ed., by Peter G. Northouse.
March 22, 2010 at 10:14 am
Oftentimes companies worry more about getting the job done or placing a check in the box. Good managers that work well with deadlines and are highly organized can accomplish this task. If this is done effectively a company may become complacent and accept this as being good leadership. Just as stated in the blog, one can accomplish the tasks but fall short of the intent of the task. Anyone can accomplish a task to get a check in the box but it does not in turn mean that it will result in anything else. The project manager may be in charge of implementing a project with the aim of reducing costs. A program has been implemented and the check is now placed in his or her box. But what about a year down the road when costs are still high or even higher? Was this manager leading? While serving in the military, many times the shop supervisor would place his go getters in charge of a project. They were effective in getting the job done well. He had the respect of his comrades and team unity was implemented.
March 22, 2010 at 3:25 pm
A good leader has systems in place to follow up and monitor project costs. Managers many times just move on to the next project and assume someone else is doing the follow up.
March 22, 2010 at 11:38 am
To me the difference between a manager and a leader has to do with charisma and attitude. A good manager and a good leader perform at or above their expectations but a good leader motivates with good communication and enthusiasm. Good leaders have a presence and way about them. They are convincing and people easily buy into their vision.
Good leaders may not be promoted because top management may feel threatened. Many people are insecure and if they see someone else having success and the people skills to obtain that success they sabotage that person. Also there are not a lot of good leaders out there because you cannot train or teach someone how to be a good leader.
March 22, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Organizations are reluctant to deal with the issue of good leadership because at the end of the day, the bottom line matters most. It is very easy for managers to get caught up in achieving the company’s goals or “checking off the boxes,” as another writer put it. I was involved in several leadership development programs while in undergrad. From my transition to the full-time workplace I have found that some of these concepts are touched on but not always reenforced through management’s actions. I have found that a lot of the time, managers do not even have a firm grasp of what is that their employees do. In my personal experience, my own manager has a hard time comprehending my individual needs for motivation and creativity, because she has never done my job herself. Some ways that companies can infuse leaders into the organization is to implement programs that allow employees to understand the company as a whole and see how their roles contribute to the company’s bottom line. Also, managers should allow employees to step up and take on leadership activities such as leading staff meetings, encouarage employees to hold one another accountable, and empower employees to give feedback.
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I am fortunate to work in an organization that does inspire leadership. Upper management allows people in leadership roles to take charge and make necessary changes. For an organization to be successful, they must allow their people some freedom and give them the tools necessary to make improvements. Good leaders believe in Theory Y (people want to do a good job). When leaders give people the ability to succeed, most times they will perform even better then expected. Of course, this is a win-win for the organization and helps create greater success. Thank goodness I work in an environment that promotes good leaders.
Kathy, thanks for the testimony! You are blessed to be in such an organization!