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This is a summing up in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.

In a comment on the prequel to this series Phil Gerbyshak said, “I agree wholeheartedly that great managers have BOTH qualities…though I know plenty of average managers who don’t have either. I’d like it required that managers have at least one half of Bennis’ qualities in order to lead a team. Is that too much to strive for?”

On day one Nii said, “Regarding the differences between a manager and a leader, I believe that the gap is closing between the two. In today’s global and technologically advanced world, managers still need to have the leadership qualities to succeed. They need to be able to take risks, inspire, innovate and challenge conventional thinking. Otherwise, they will be history.”

Day four Fred commented, “I believe to be a successful manager in today’s new work environment managers must posses the skills to be effective leaders and coaches in team oriented “open door” environments. Young employees entering the work force from High School or College do not possess the same work ethics of baby boomer’s. If managers attempt to train this new work force using the same tactics as we did in the past retention will suffer greatly. It is truly a kinder and gentler world we live in.”

I’m in passionate agreement with the consensus that managers need to marshal many so-called leadership skills if they plan to succeed today.

In a world where multiple job changes are both easy and acceptable the currency that buys loyalty isn’t money, rather it’s achieved by creating an environment that stimulates and satisfies each individual’s needs.

Finally, in a sister post over at Slacker Manager Nick McCormick says, “Too much is made of the difference between managers and leaders. I think we do it to make ourselves seem more important. “I’m a leader, not a lowly manager!””

Amen, Nick. While management is what you do, leadership is the way you think. Great management is composed of equal parts leadership and accountability. True leaders are proclaimed as such by those around them, not by themselves.

The best way to find success is to work constantly at incorporating as many to Bennis’ 26 traits as possible into your skillset and your MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™) and stop worrying about what you’re called.

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Today is the the final difference between leaders and managers as delineated by Warren Bennis, then tomorrow we wrap up the question with an overview of the two roles in the light of today’s modern workforce.

The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

Great sound bite, but I think it’s both meaningless and insulting. Ignoring the fact that ‘the right thing’ is situational, why is doing it strictly the purview of leaders? Does doing the wrong thing correctly make it OK?

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This is the fifth in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.

The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon.

In today’s global workplace managers who concentrate exclusively on bottom lines and forget to look up are likely to trip and fall, just as leaders who don’t keep and eye on the bottom line may find themselves out on their bottoms.

The manager imitates; the leader originates.

What’s the manager imitating? The leader, in order to achieve her vision? How would that work. Can anyone imitate another and still be seen as authentic? If a manager could successfully imitate Steve Jobs, Jeff Immelt or Sam Palmisano wouldn’t that person morph into being a leader—who was also a manger?

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This is the fourth in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.

The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.

If a manager truly focused only on the next few days, weeks, or even months he would have little chance of challenging/developing his people, driving innovation and productivity in the department/group/team, or any of the myriad of things that most managers are responsible for in today’s world. Further, without a decent understanding relative to his position of the company’s long-range plans how can he manage efficiently.

The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.

That may be true of a manger who follows blindly, but considering how often rank and file employees at all levels, especially knowledge workers, demand to know why they are doing something as well as why they’re doing it a certain way a manager who doesn’t ask those questions is probably in big trouble.

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This is the third in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.

The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.

Are you controllable? Will you give your best performance, offer 110% effort or bring your passion to work for someone who doesn’t inspire you or whom you don’t trust? Will you trust a leader who accepts the actions of a micro-manager/bully/control-freak and keeps that person in a role of authority?

The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it.

In my experience, backed up by my reading, very few breathing people, whether leaders, managers or followers, submissively accept reality as it is without trying, in ways both small and large, to change whatever part they believe needs changing. This seems especially true in the workplace.

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This is the second in a series discussing whether Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers still holds in light of today’s modern workforce.

The manager maintains; the leader develops.

In today’s global economy the company that only maintains fails. And I think that applies to every part of a company—department, group, team. If the person in charge merely maintains, but doesn’t improve the parts and processes of the organization it will be passed by. Moreover, today’s workforce demands professional growth and challenge; the manger who doesn’t know how or spend the effort developing people and providing them with opportunities and help to grow will see only lowering productivity and rising turnover.

The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.

This one really gets me. Today’s workers won’t consider working for a manger who doesn’t focus on people and in the event they do find themselves in that position they start looking as quickly as they can hit ‘send’ on their resume. Moreover, the basis for some of the best innovation and productivity increases stems from a focus on, understanding of and willingness to change systems and structure.

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As mentioned, today starts a seven part series discussing Warren Bennis’ 13 differences between leaders and managers in light of today’s modern workforce. The series will address two items each day and runs through May 9 (except for Sunday and Wednesday, they have their own agendas).

To give us common ground, I’m using these descriptions of leadership as the basis of my comments, but feel free to disagree. Unfortunately, I haven’t found comparable descriptions of managers—if you know of any please share them—so my thoughts are based on the best managers I’ve read about and known.

I sincerely hope that many of you will weigh in with your own thoughts.

The manager administers; the leader innovates

Given the pressure to raise productivity, reduce attrition, cut costs, encourage a “culture of innovation” and in general do more with less how can a manager manage today’s highly mobile, independent workforce without innovating? Nobody can supply the sheer quantity of innovation needed to thrive in today’s global economy, because there is no way for to be knowledgeable of every process, facet, product, market, etc. that is ripe for innovation.

The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.

Copy of what? The nearest leader? Every human has his/her own MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™) which is a product of their life experiences and therefore unique; everything they learn is learned through the prism of their MAP. Over the years companies have tried to clone both managers and leaders with little success, while today’s enlightened workforce makes the possibility even more remote.

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