“The Heart of the Leader Is the Heart of Leadership.” – Dr. Bill Lawrence – – – this is my favorite leadership quote – – – ever. Quotes are USE FULL – – – IF, and ONLY IF…they TRUE…AND ONE lives them out. Otherwise, they are bullshit.
Most organizations say they want leaders BUT what they really want are managers who keep the damn machine running. Hit the numbers, run the meetings, manage the people ;BUT/AND do NOT make too many waves. Management matters. Without structure, discipline, accountability and execution – – – organizations will fall apart. ;BUT/AND managing work and leading people are two very different things.
Managers focus on getting things done. Leaders focus on building people who can get things done, especially when things go to hell. Being a Green Beret in combat taught me this. When the plan falls apart, fear takes over and uncertainty is everywhere – – – nobody gives a shit about your title, résumé or organizational chart. They want to KNOW whether YOU (leader) can see reality, tell the truth, make decisions, remain calm and carry weight alongside them. They want to KNOW whether they can trust YOU, not the motto up on the wall or the tattoo on your forearm.
At Built to Lead, we begin with CORE because the heart of the leader is the heart of leadership. Worldview, identity, principles, passions and purpose DRIVE behavior. A manager sees someone avoiding difficult conversations and tells them to communicate better. A leader asks what they believe will happen if they tell the truth. A manager sees someone refusing to delegate and tells them to let go. A leader confronts the fear or insecurity driving their need for control. Managers often address behavior. Leaders get underneath it.
AND?…this is where leadership gets really damn hard.
Most people want accountability without confrontation, trust without vulnerability, ownership without surrendering control and oneness (that beautiful thing) without uncomfortable truth. They confuse the absence of conflict with peace. Real leaders enter the tension, collapse the triangles and have the difficult conversations others avoid. They understand that leadership is NOT about being tougher or more tender (or trendier, for that matter).
It’s ALL about being truer.
Leadership begins with leading yourself (say that again, three times out loud, if you’re NOT scared). I have learned this the hard way AND? I am still learning it. If I can NOT confront my own fear, pride, anger, insecurity and bullshit, those things will eventually hurt the people I am responsible for building into, leading and loving. My titles (and there are many), competence, experience and good intentions never excuse my failures. People do NOT learn nearly as much from what we tell them as they do from watching how we live, especially under pressure.
The best leaders know how to manage. True dat. They establish standards, build systems, inspect what they expect and hold people accountable; BUT/AND they never forget that people are not machines. They build trust, develop ownership and help others become stronger, clearer, more courageous and more capable of carrying weight. Their goal is not to make themselves indispensable. Their goal is to build people who can lead long after they are gone.
Management gets things done. Leadership builds people who can be trusted with things that matter.
THAT is the difference between a manager and a leader.
THAT is the difference. And it is ONE hell of a difference.
Together We Transform – – – always, ALWAYS TOGETHER.
The only thing I manage is my time. I lead everything else. – JG
With It Or On It.
Now there is a mantra for you, leader.
So well said, so true, thanks for bringing it up again, and reminding us of what sometimes is the hard truth! If you want to be an inspiration, you have to be inspirational! Address the hard stuff! Thanks for the inspiration this morning, don’t forget “be the reason someone smiles today“… thank you!!
Boom…thank you, Jason.
“Be THE reason someone smiles…today”.
TOGETHER, always – – – ALWAYS TOGETHER.