ROBERT J.R. GRAHAM: Managers vs. Leaders

By Ken Blanchard and Drea Zigarmi

You may think of the words “manager” and “leader” as two concepts representing opposite ends of a continuum. The term manager typifies the more structured, controlled, analytical, orderly, and rule-oriented end of the continuum. The leader end of the continuum connotes a more experimental, visionary, unstructured, flexible, and impassioned side. Managers and leaders are not the same. They think differently internally, and behave differently externally.

In truth, leaders and managers tend to see different aspects of work and organizational life as important, and therefore, worthy of their time. They tend to treat people differently, and they spontaneously react to others differently. They tend to allow their people to have different focuses, and to limit their people in different ways. You can understand why these differences result in varied organizational cultures and, finally, why different reactions result from those who are being led (depending on the follower’s disposition and point of view).

Leadership is defined as the act of arousing, engaging, and satisfying the motives of followers-in an environment of conflict, competition, or change-that results in the followers taking a course of action toward a mutually shared vision. You cannot effectively lead if you do not know your values. Understanding your values gives you insight about others. Values-based activity is the basis for commitment—yours and others’. Too many organizations, because of the lack of leadership, require the followers’ mind and muscle, but not their hearts. This requires the followers’ focused activity, but does not engage the followers’ purpose. Organizational life, because of a lack of leadership, does not integrate the followers’ deeper core beliefs with the work they are asked to do.

Remember, leadership style is the pattern of influence you use with others, over time, as perceived by them. Also recall that directive behaviors in a one-to-one context are as follows:

Setting goals

Planning work in advance

Defining timelines ?? Specifying priorities

Determining methods of evaluation

Defining roles and decision-making prerogatives

Showing and telling how outcomes will be accomplished

Supportive behaviors in a one-to-one context have been described as follows:

Listening

Praising and encouraging

Asking for input

Sharing information about the total organization’s operation

Sharing information about self

Facilitating the problem-solving of others

Providing rationale

Read more about managers vs. leaders in The Leader Within

Which DISC is Your Boss?

We all have a basic behavioral style that we bring to our work environment. P4 Behavioral Styles Indicator produces an overview of the 4 basic behavioral style based on an individual’s responses to a short questionnaire. This report discusses how approaches problems, influences people, paces his (her) work, or follow procedures.. Read this section of the report carefully to get a good understanding of his basic behavioral style.

D = Direct – How Approaches Problems

I = Influence – How Influences and Interacts with People

S = Steadiness – How Reacts and Responds to Pace

C = Compliance – How Follows Procedures Set by other people

Click here to order DISC Behavioral Styles Indicator – Employee Version

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