What Leaders Do

If we are to develop our abilities to lead, we need to be clear about what leaders do. Leading is distinct from managing. I have written about this distinction before. The clearest explanation I have come across of the difference between managing and leading comes from John P. Kotter in his book A Force for Change. Following is a summary of Kotter’s explanation. I recommend reading his book to gain a deeper understanding of the distinction between managers and leaders.

Managers plan and budget. They establish the steps needed to achieve specific results, create a timeline for completing those steps, and obtain the resources necessary for goal accomplishment. Leaders establish direction. They develop a vision of the future and determine the strategies for producing the desired change.

Managers organize and staff. They establish the structure needed to implement the plan and then acquire and assign the needed personnel. Managers delegate responsibility and authority to complete tasks, establish policies and procedures to guide behavior, and create systems to monitor performance. Leaders align people. They communicate the vision to those whose cooperation is needed and form coalitions to support the change.

Managers control and problem solve. They monitor results and take action to correct deviations from the plan. Leaders motivate and inspire. They energize people to overcome barriers to change.

Managers produce order. Their job is to establish stability, predictability, and consistency. Leaders produce change. Their role is to disrupt the status quo and encourage creativity and innovation.

Success comes to organizations by balancing managing and leading. Too much managing brings about stagnation. An excess of leading creates chaos. By understanding how leading and managing differ, we can better ensure that both functions are fulfilled.

My experience is that most organizations suffer from a leadership void. In my next entry I will discuss the organizational culture required to develop leaders.