Management and Leadership

Management and leadership are two different things, and I've seen good and bad examples of both in my life. Keep in mind I've been in dual careers for over 30 years, one in the volunteer fire service, and the other in the federal government. Anyway, a good manager will organize things well, and generally keep everything within his empire running smoothly. This does not necessarily make him a leader. A good leader will inspire the people under him, making them strive to do better for themselves and the job. A good leader in not always a good manager. Finding someone that is both a good leader, and a good manager, is rare.

A leader?

I'm old so I'm going to use and old TV show to make my point. M*A*S*H had perfect examples of both good leaders and good managers. Major Frank Burns was a good manager. His uniform was perfect, his foot locker organized, he planned and attended meetings promptly. When he was left in charge, he tried to organize a ragtag group of doctors, nurses, and technicians into an army unit. Everyone hated him and plotted against him. He had no leadership skills whatsoever. Meanwhile, Captain "Hawkeye" Pierce was a drunken mess. He was rarely in uniform, sometimes only wearing a red robe over his boxers with a straw cowboy hat on his head. He usually did not shave, his quarters were a mess. However, when he spoke, people listened. Most of the other officers and enlisted in the camp adored him and followed him, even though he would say he was no leader. He was a lousy manager, but a fantastic, albeit reluctant leader.

I think management can be learned from a book if you try. There are tips and tools you can use to organize yourself and your life, if you wish to put forward the effort. Leadership is different though. There are natural born leaders, and I also believe you can learn leadership by following a leader, but those that try to lead from a book usually fail miserably. I think that's because you have to get a feel for people, and make the right decision on the spot, No book can give you that ability to read people, or even list all the possible responses you may have for any given situation.

It's been my experience in both the fire service and in the government that different people need to be led in different ways. Some need a bit a fear, while others just need encouragement. Some need to be micromanaged while you lead them, literally telling them every step of the way, until they finally figure it out. Others, well you simply need to explain the goals and leave them alone. They manage and lead themselves.

Good leaders are self starters and think outside of the box. They will emerge in a crisis. Often, you don't even need to ask, leaders will just step forward and take care of whatever response is needed. In the fire service, you can see this at a fire scene, or in the clean up of the fire hall after an event. Leaders identify a problem and work towards a solution. Managers will research an answer. On the Titanic, leaders began to fill the lifeboats. Managers rearranged the deck chairs.

The older I get, the more frustrated I get with bad leadership. Bad management I can more easily overlook, perhaps since I am somewhat disorganized myself, but more likely because someone else's poor management rarely affects me. There are exceptions of course, like when you wait an eternity for your appointment at a doctors office, or when the person in line in front of you at Wegman's can't seem to find their credit card. Poor leadership is more ominous, and, like many, I fear we are raising generations of poor leaders as examples of good leadership (aka parenting) become more rare. 

This is true within the quasi-military fire service, and the bureaucratic government. Both have a tendency to promote managers, not leaders, because good managers can more easily be quantified by bean counters, and seen visually as well organized (re: Major Frank Burns). Good leaders are often quiet, unassuming, and generally not interested in the title or spotlight. Good leaders will struggle to put together a flashy and effective resume, while good managers will hand you one the next day. This exposes a basic flaw in our lauded republic. We often elect good managers, not necessarily good leaders.

So what's the point? When given the opportunity to help make a choice, I've tried to promote leaders, not managers. We need both of course, but spotting a good leader and moving them forward is more difficult yet more rewarding. I'm encouraged that colleges and universities have recognized this and do not select the incoming freshman based solely on GPA. I've seen some examples of excellent leadership recently in young people, and this makes me hopeful that there are good leaders are out there, and they are doing the right thing. I am optimistic that they will wade through the minutia and bureaucracy that awaits their young adult life and emerge as the leaders we need.