The Importance of Leadership

“For a company to achieve the desired result, it’s culture – what people think and do –
must be aligned with the result.”
-Roger Connors, Author of The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual And
Organizational Accountability

I recently read an article that workers no longer want to be managed. Employees

demand leadership.

Leaders and managers are different. By definition, a manager works within a system to
maintain existing goals and direction. They use people and equipment to meet a goal
or they use a process to produce results.

A leader by contrast, sets the direction for projects. They bring vision to reality by
gaining commitment from the people in the organization.

Managers Leaders
• Work within the existing culture • Create visions and excitement
• Maintain existing relationships • Set a direction
• Plan and budget • Align people
• Organize and staff • Build new relationships and structure
• Control and problem solve • Motivate and inspire

While individuals might have a talent towards one versus the other, leadership and
management are not mutually exclusive – great leaders can be great managers and
vise versa. Obviously, there is tremendous advantage for someone who possesses
both leadership and management skills to achieve great things.

This by no means implies that management is an easy task. Mastering the skills
necessary to be an effective and efficient manager can take many years.

Successful organizations need both managers and leaders. Management activities are
critical to any business. Most often, management is providing the “what” that needs to
be done in the daily operation. Leadership provides the “how” those management
activities get accomplished. Companies should have the “what” and “how” aligned for
optimum results.

For example, when senior management shares the company vision with the workforce,
they understand their role in the overall picture. This leads to greater employee buy-in
and increased productivity. Then, the workforce is able to share feedback with senior
management regarding processes/procedures that support the vision. This creates
collaboration and greater efficiency.
The practice of leadership is a key business differentiator. Companies are looking for
ways to grow their products/services, business relationships, and market share. How
can you accomplish more with less? Leadership.

There are 3 common traits that leaders possess:

1. Inspire. Leaders create the energy for employees to do their best. They clear
roadblocks and encourage creativity.
2. Communicate. Leaders keep employees informed about the organization.
They build relationships at all levels in the organization.
3. Support. Great leaders create environments where employees feel safe to
speak up.

The business environment is constantly changing, but the leadership component

remains steadfast. It’s important for managers to work collectively to identify and
develop leaders in the organization. The success of this collaboration has a direct
impact on a company’s future.

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Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR is the President of ITM Group, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. ITM (Internal
Talent Management) provides strategic and technical consulting services to enhance talent in
the workplace. For more information, go to www.itmgroupinc.com.