Do you manage your business or does it manage you? Do you collaborate with your staff or do you manage every aspect of their work day?
Hopefully, these questions got you to think about what you do with your days. As a business owner or professional the answers to these questions, in a sense dictate your organization’s future. There is no right or wrong answer, but rather is the outcome a good fit for your expectations? How you interact with those around you influences the outcomes you will receive.
Day-to-Day Operations-
If you spend the majority of your time doing day-to-day operations, then you have a job. Most businesses are started because the founder wanted something more than a job. When we get bogged down with the menial tasks that are associated with our business, we lose sight of the big picture. We can’t build a strategy for stability, diversification or growth. In this economy, it is imperative for managers and business owners to be on top of their game at all times. Manage your business, don’t let it manage you.
We all have talents and strengths. Make sure that you’re focusing on your strengths and letting others handle the areas that are not your specialty. Not only will this free up your time and energy, but it will empower your employees with the knowledge that you trust them.
Manager or Leader-
There are two different styles of running an organization: Management and Leadership. Many people think these are the same, when in fact they are completely at the opposite ends of the spectrum. A business can have several managers and none of them are leaders.
The leaders in your organization may in fact not be in management at all.
· Managers plan, direct and control. They provide predictability and order to organizations and structure for its processes.
· Leaders promote change and development. They are visionaries and motivate others. They inspire commitment, loyalty and involvement.
The Question: Which is better?
The Answer: Neither……
The most successful professionals have a balance of both styles, depending on the project, employees, or environment. They are capable of seeing a vision, creating the strategy, implementing the change process and inspiring others to follow their example. A good balanced approach in an organization can create stability in a crisis and renew a positive culture. A balance of management and leadership promotes the dynamic input from all of the players, but it also creates a stable environment through well managed processes. It creates a balance of short-term tangible results with intangible long-term goals.
I recently took a course on Leadership through the Institute of Management Accountants and one idea has stuck with me: A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but the one who creates the most leaders. I keep this thought with me every day as I work with organizations and remember that my own success can only be measured by the success of the businesses and professionals I support.
How do you measure your success?
Shannon Reynolds is the President of LEA Management Services; a company whose purpose is to inspire businesses through Leadership, Education, and Accountability and a Licensed Professional Business Coach with the Professional Business Coach Alliance . She’s also active in her community as the Area Director for BNI in Central Oregon and current Board President for the Redmond Education Foundation. For more information visit www.leamsc.com
