COLUMBUS, Ohio –
Participation in the Level II Mentorship program
provides an opportunity by which to guide
our career advancement. As members of the program
we should each ask ourselves what is the
nature of advancement that we seek. Do we want
to be managers, or do we want to be leaders?
Often the terms management and leadership are
used synonymously. Are they synonymous?
Management is an objective process that can be
measured quantitatively. It consists of taskoriented
maintenance functions such as planning,
organizing, and controlling resources to achieve
goals and objectives. A manager’s authority is derived
from their assigned roles and responsibilities
thereby giving them legitimate power by virtue
of their position. This position power is applied
toward enforcing compliance with policies
and procedures.
However, for an organization to be truly successful
there must be something more than the
task-oriented mechanics of management. There
must also be a relationship-oriented role; one
that influences the attitudes and behaviors of
members in order to motivate them toward the
accomplishment of goals and objectives. This
process that is in addition to the maintenance
function of management is the essence of leadership.
If leadership’s influential role is additional to
management then it must be a distinguishable
process; one that requires distinct competencies.
Interpersonal skill, emotional intelligence and
communication competencies are what separate
leaders from managers. Unlike the power that a
manager possesses by virtue of their position, the
power of a leader is earned by the trust and respect
they have acquired through their credibility,
integrity and problem solving skills. Earned
power provides leaders the ability to influence,
motivate and inspire consistent with the values
of the organization’s culture. Earned power is
perhaps the greatest distinction between leadership
and management.
However, leaders must also be capable of generating
solutions to problems. Leaders must possess
both the analytical skills to solve problems,
and the communication competencies to implement
them. Effective leaders possess both taskoriented
and relations-oriented skills and have
the ability to competently balance the two in an
appropriate combination for the situation.
Some leadership skills may be more innate to
certain individuals than others. You may find that
it is necessary to develop your skills in areas such
as communications or decision making. Becoming
a leader may require you to pursue higher
skill levels through formal education or by participation
in organizations like Toastmasters. Whatever
your individual circumtance may be, actively
seek to enhance your skills to become more than
a manager, become a leader.