Even though “leadership” is one of the most common words in the English language, people’s interpretation of it varies widely. But understanding a few basic concepts about leadership opens the door to leading more effectively.
First, people in charge are typically called “managers,” but they’re expected to both manage and lead. Managing and leading are two totally different activities. Managing involves the effective use of resources such as funds, supplies, schedules, systems, tools, equipment, and so forth. It takes special abilities to administer these resources, but none of these skills applies to working with people. On the other hand, when managers lead, they influence the performance of team members to perform at their best, both individually and collectively. Simply put, you manage things, and you lead people. Read the rest of this entry »
