Leader, Manager, Bureaucrat
by Miki Saxon
Frequent readers know that I am not a devotee of Warren Bennis, who famously propagated the idea that leaders and managers are not only different, but that ‘leaders’ are higher on the food chain possessing far more value than the lowly manager.
I have devoted numerous posts to dispelling this attitude (See series starting here.), much like Don Quixote tilting at his windmills. (It’s not a new attitude; I’ve had a statue of Quixote and Sancho Panza for years:)
I was discussing this over lunch with several executives and voiced my thought that no manager at any level can function successfully in today’s climate unless she is a leader.
This brought forth a terrific response from a CEO that is well worth sharing.
“A manager who doesn’t lead is a bureaucrat.”
An astute, simple and very accurate statement for people who are, or aspire to be, in charge, no matter of what or at what level, to frame and hang on their walls.
If you don’t want to
- craft and share a vision of what, why and when {whatever} needs to happen and leave the ‘how’ to your team;
- share information openly and willingly;
- take the time to craft communications that can be heard and understood by all;
- help both your company and your team become all that they can be;
- shoulder the responsibility, but give away the credit; a
- think ‘them’ before ‘me’;
then you shouldn’t be in charge.
Your comments—priceless
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Image credit: scriptingnews on flickr
September 25th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Miki, with all due respect, Bennis never meant to give the impression that leaders are on a higher food chain than managers. What he meant was if all you ever worry about is efficiency and maintaining the status quo, you are not practicing leadership. Leadership requires individuals to focus on effectiveness. That requires the courage to risk change for yourself and others. Bennis got it right.
September 25th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Not only is the world full of bureaucrats but they are also necessary. Bureaucrats are the ballast of the world.
September 25th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Hi Bret, Bennis may not have meant that, but it’s become the de facto attitude of much of the leadership industry and it is Bennis’ list that is used as support for the idea.
And I stick with the idea that you can’t be a GOOD manager these days if you don’t embrace your own definition, “Leadership requires individuals to focus on effectiveness. That requires the courage to risk change for yourself and others.”
But I’m sure that my tiny voice and opinion will have no effect on the accepted view of the hero-leader saving us all (from ourselves).
As always, Bret, thanks for adding another viewpoint to the post!
September 25th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Hi Denis, I like your ballast analogy.
I referred to bureaucrats as in paper-pushing, no-initiative, rule-enforcing, unimaginative, petty tyrants.
I’ve interacted with many government employees who don’t fit this pattern along with, sadly, too many who do.
I’ve also known some who are great leader/managers.
As always, thanks for stopping by:)
September 29th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
“Leadership courses can only teach skill. They can’t teach character or vision-and indeed they don’t even try. Developing character and vision is the way leaders invent themselves.” – Warren Bennis “On Becoming A Leader”
With character and vision comes direction and trust. Anyone can direct people, but it is character and vision that bring people back again and again to be lead because they trust the leader knows where they are heading.
Warren Gamaliel Bennis is an American scholar, organizational consultant and author, widely regarded as a pioneer of the contemporary field of Leadership Studies.
September 29th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Hi Nazeem, if you read me frequently you know I’m not a proponent of Bennis, so we’ll have to agree to disagree.
But I appreciate your sharing your thoughts and hope you will continue to do so.
December 14th, 2009 at 5:45 am
Management is the whole and leadership is a part of it. It isn’t if managers lead (1,9 on the Grid is not a zero) or not but the degree that they lead.
What Bennis and Bret may mean (and I agree with them) is “good” leaders. We have a definition of this in our heads and apply it to those we are judging. If they are not “good” leaders we call them managers or bureaucrats.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Hi Dave, The problem is that the definition of ‘good’ is not universal. It is dictated by one’s own MAP, ideology, prejudices, and even mood.
This is true in the corporate world and even more easily seen in politics, but that is only my opinion.
Thanks for stopping by and adding to the conversation. It is an interesting one.