Companies and organizations have leaders, managers, administrators and a bunch of folks who are very skilled at the tactical sand and gravel of achieving the goals and meeting the mission.
There is an over-emphasis on the ideal of being a leader. Yes, they are out front, they set the pace and cast the vision. Without a leader human beings are destimed to wander aimlessly. But leaders aren’t the end all. They’re usually really bad at actually getting things done by themselves. And if everyone wants to lead . . .
Wally Bock wrote a very good post on the Mementor blog titled, “You Could be Management Material, If . . . ”
It reads like a page out a SimplyStrengths® or StrengthFinders® handbook. From the blog:
Do you enjoy having a say in the direction your team is going? That comes with the leadership job, but not everyone is comfortable being out front.
Do you enjoy helping other people succeed? That’s the core of a boss’s job. You have to be able to set aside your own ego and help the team and the team members do better.
Are you willing to talk to other people about their performance or behavior? It’s the part of the boss’s job that many people find stressful. If you’re willing, there are techniques that will help you do it more easily and effectively.
Are you willing to make decisions and take the consequences? That’s another thing that bosses do.
The full post has some surprising stats about the management and leadership aspirations of today’s work force.
One of the smartest things you can do is to offer a strengths assessment to your employees. I’d be more than happy to help them maximize their strengths, and your bottom line will be the better for it.
