Leadership vs. Management

Leadership has fallen into everyday terminology. There is a multi billion dollar market in training people to be leaders. I've noticed in conversations and in appraisals aspirations to leadership. Leadership is generally seen to be a "good thing"

When I ask people what do you want to lead, and why? I often get a bemused response. " I just want to be a leader!"

I think we've allowed people to separate management and leadership, and that somehow the latter is more important than the former. I suggest it isn't. Management is a skilled function, in pursuit of clearly defined ends. It is not woolly, or even questioning. It gets stuff done. On time. To Budget.

The stuff to be done is the responsibility of leadership. Leadership is tough. It is a service industry. It is about communicating clearly what you want to those you are responsible for, and protecting them whilst they do it.

It wrestles with uncertainty. It sticks its head over the parapet looking for what needs to happen. It is woolier …