I am convinced that today’s manager can no longer rely on authority to supervise his team.
Leadership is essential to motivate your employees and push them to give their best.
“ A leader is most effective when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his goal accomplished, his troops think they did it themselves .”
Lao Tzu
A true leader knows how to step back and leave the laurels to his colleagues.
His victory is the success of his team.
“ Nothing is as contagious as example ”
La Rochefoucauld
A good manager does what he says : the rules of his team apply to him. An exemplary leader is admired and respected.
Look around you, whether in sports, politics or your professional life: you show more respect to people you consider exemplary.
“ The best manager is the one who knows how to find the talent to do things, and who also knows how to restrain his desire to interfere while they are doing them .”
Theodore Roosevelt
This quote on management and leadership sheds relevant light on the notion of delegation: there is nothing better than transmitting and delegating to help your team members grow, make them responsible and motivate them!
“ A leader knows what to do; a manager only knows how to do it .”
Ken Adelman
We often distinguish the manager from the leader on this notion of how : the leader has the vision, the objective and shows the result or the course to be achieved, regardless of the how.
The manager emphasizes the how, the method, the process, the execution of tasks.
“ Management is doing things well; leadership is doing the right things .”
Peter Drucker
This inspiring sentence on leadership bounces off the previous one around the difference between a manager and a leader by opposing the decision to the method.
“ The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority .”
Kenneth Blanchard
Even more true with the new generations coming up.
Authority based on answers like “That’s the way it is because I decide” is doomed to failure.
To get results, influence and persuasion are much better cards to play!
