What personal capacities should a person develop to be a good leader versus those developed to be a good manager?
“A good leader is not measured by who they are but how they inspire others to do well”. Unknown
Leaders create vision while manager creates goals. Leaders paint the vision and inspire the people around them to bring those visions to fruition. In getting this vision across, leaders are able to motivate, encourage and inspire others.
Management often focuses on controlling people and outcomes. Management allocates scarce resources against an organization objective, the setting of priorities, the design of work and the achievement of results.
Leaders are qualitative, managers are quantitative. Leaders have a shared purpose, integrity, influence, followers and intentions. They are mostly the facilitator, the collaborator and the promoter. Managers manage through a crisis, delegating new tasks and responding to a situation that requires specific outcomes. “The actions and utterances of leaders guide the attention of those involved in a situation that consciously and unconsciously shape the meaning of a situation”.
Personal skills that must be developed to be a good leader are: organized, good communicator, passive, multidirectional, effective follower, relationship building, dependability, integrity and ability to teach and mentor.
Personal skills that must be developed to be a good manager are: interpersonal skills, planning, problem solving, strategic thinking and delegation.
- Why do you think they are a few people that succeed at both? Management and Leadership. Is it reasonable to be good at both?
A few people fail miserably at both because the team that they lead or manage is not unified enough to perform under a crisis as well as when things are up. The behavior of your team in both situations can determine how you lead or manage. Some leaders and managers may be unclear of the roles involved- it’s not just about a name but work that is involved. In order to master both one has to self lead first- that is self, awareness, self reflection and self regulation.
- Describe the best leader you have known. How did this leader acquire his or her capacity?
The best leader I know was my mentor Mr. Whitfield is a humble guy that never takes the credit for himself but always gives the recognition to his team. He always encourages his staff to bring out their best in themselves. He is a good communicator and always willing to listen to others. He is not only a mentor not me but the countless students and teachers around him. He is the embodiment of what a leader is.
Write 200 words of your reflection on this work? (need to be in first person)