Occassionally I get asked about the difference between managment and leadership. Not to oversimplify, but managers are about processes, roles, control, tactics and more passive attitudes towards goals. Nothing wrong with being a manager.

Leaders are influencers, challengers, new and fresh approaches to the future, people who encourage both individual and corporate significance with purpose followed by passion.

Seth Godin (www.seth@yahoo.com) mentions these ideas: "Managers get their employees to do what they did yesterday, but a little faster and a little cheaper. Leaders, on the other hand, know where they'd like to go, but understand that they can't get there without their tribe, without giving those they lead the tools to make something happen. Managers want authority. Leaders take responsibility."

Finally, Jim Collins in his new book, "Great By Choice" suggests Fanatical Discipline (Be Disciplined), Empirical Creativity(Creatively solve major problems), and Productive Paranoia (Be prepared for what you can't predict)" are part of the ingredients for a leader (along with humility and determination or will).

All of these ideas are nothing more than ideas, words on a page. Can you be both a manager and a leader? Absolutely. Which one if more effective? Depends.  Where companies, businesses and organizations get in trouble is confusing them with the responsibilities the position(s) requires. The result could be "status quo" versus "moving forward". And the real test  of effectiveness for a manager or a leader is not in words on a page, but in the examples lived out every day!  

rb

Finally, "The Most Important First Pitch of World Series History," a 4-1/2 minute video.