Managers are people who have formal authority in a particular job or responsibility. Leaders are people who exert influence through social relationships and engagement.
Sometimes managers are leaders, but not always. Sometimes leaders are also managers, but not always. Often the true "leader" in an organization is not the person with formal authority.
It is not hard to find lists of the habits of highly effective leaders.
But here, from the Michael Marek Management Handbook, are 12 habits of highly ineffective non-leaders:
- Come in late and leave early - keep them guessing
- Manage by edict - asking people what they think might undermine your authority
- Don't let them predict when you are going to micromanage and when they have discretion
- Assume that people don't really want to work, so you have to be a taskmaster
- Never admit you were wrong about anything
- Don't give people feedback on their work before it is time to fire them
- Take credit for everything (never give credit where credit is due)
- Make sure YOU know what YOUR superior wants before you voice an opinion
- Knee-jerk everything - planning takes critical thinking and that's HARD
- Let your temper go - it will scare them into obeying
- Never socialize with your subordinates
- Review Machiavelli at least once a month
Leadership when combined with management is both an art and a science. Leaders should never knee-jerk their reactions and always think their responses through for the secondary and tertiary ramifications is possible courses of action.
