Management & Leadership -- An Old Discussion

I recall with fondness my good friend and colleague Ray Burch's lecture on "Stop Bashing Management and Prasining Leadership". Ray, in his wisdom, attempted to bring into light the necessity of both for the long term success of our organizations.

In the past 25 years, people have fallen in love with the word "leadership." They have found it sexier that the word "management."

Many attractive adjectives have been used to describe its role and functions. Here are some adjectives usually associated with leadership: inspirational, transformative, participative, visionary, engaging, effective, contemporary, fun. Terrific words! What is there not to like?

When describing management the choice of the adjectives has been less enticing, and to a certain extent, deprecating. Here are some of the words associated with management: efficient, commanding, controlling, mechanistic, old fashioned, boring. God forbid! Who wants to be labeled "command and control?" The use of this term has been used in some organizations to derail competent people's careers.

In my professional practice, I have tried to discuss the topic in a more inclusive way, not necessarily with a lot of success. I have not given up. I continue to reflect on the subject of leadership and management,and I continue to explore its implications for contemporary organizations.

When the iconic Frank Sinatra was asked to comment on rising fame of singer Elvis Presley during the mid 1960's, he wisely said: "You cannot knock success." The word leadership has indeed captured our imagination, so it is unpopular to knock its vertues. Too many books have been written expousing its vertues, none exposing its weaknesses.

It is my view that, that in the contemporary organization, management's purpose blends sound leadership principles with the art and science of getting things done. the prrof of the pudding, I am told, is in its eating -- execution.

Leadership and management are two sides of the same coin. They are both needed for long term success. Short term success is often clouded by intervening variables such as a friendly market, superior technology, and lucky timing, to name a few. Long term success depends on navigating through a myriad of tough conditions and problematic situations.

Peter Drucker, the recognized authority on professional management, had this to say about leadership: "Leadership has little to do with leadership qualities and even less to do with charisma. It is mundane, unromantic and boring. Its essence is performance... Leadership is a means... to what end is thus the crucial question."

John Zenger and Joseph Folkman in their widely acclaimed book, The Extraordinary Leader, studied the 360 assessments of of 25,000 leaders. They isolated five important pillars to what they called "the leadership tent." The pillars are character, personal capability, interpersonal skills, focus on results and leading organizational change. Supporting the tent, they found 16 specific behavioral competencies. It is interesting to point out that, although they never used the term management, three of the five pillars included established management functions (planning, organizing, and controlling.) A fourth pillar overlaped with another activity of management, motivating others.

In another study, Joyce, Nohria and Robertson, in their book, What Really Works, identified six specific management practices for sustained business success. The primary four were: Strategy, execution, culture, and structure. The secondary two or electives were: Talent, leadership, innovation, and growth. Their five-year project analyzed more than 200 management practices, fads, silver-bullet cures and management buzz-words used by 160 companies. How stunning are their findings?

The old Bible, in Ecclesiastes, teaches us that "there is a time for everything unber the sun." It is a wise admonition. It teaches us that organizations, like humans, go through specific phases, and that each phase has unique challenges and dilemmas. What might work in a particular phase might not be sufficient for the other!

So, what have I concluded after all? I see leadership as the "maker." It will make us successful when effectively exercised. I see management as the "breaker", meaning lack of fundamental management will surely derail us.

Witness how many organizations have imploded over time. The landscape is full of carcasses of yesteryear's most admired companies. The laws of gravity, I am reminded, have not been repealed. What goes up with good leadership, will eventually come down with poor management!

Ponder this topic! Reflect on your own experience! Don't be seduced by the sexy terms -- they are ephemeral.

Enjoy your journey along the learning curve! We all have much to learn.