Leadership and Management are just the Tip...

Third of a series of three: Leadership Vs. Management, Beyond Leadership and Management, and Leadership and Management are just the Tip...

I agree that leadership and management are necessary at all levels. However, at the top level, I don't believe they are sufficient.

I understand the temptation to lump all of a chief's skills under the topic of either leadership or management. I prefer to organize them this way for a number of reasons.

This layout reflects the growth of skills needed by the chief as the size or complexity of the organization grows. At the lowest level, the chief is influencing individuals. At the mid level, the chief is influencing teams. At the highest level, the chief is influencing the environment.

It is difficult to comprehend large lists. With this layout, you only have four things to pay attention to at any moment. If you need to drill down on any one, then you have only 4 more. Instead of 2x30, where 30 is an absurdly large number, you have 4x4x4. Also, it is difficult to comprehend the interconnectedness of various skills if they are all lumped into only two groups.

I like to recognize that a chief at the highest level has multi-dimensional problems to solve. To solve them, the chief must bring in multi-dimensional solutions. These come from a multi-dimensional skill set.

As you grow in responsibility, a number of necessary skills do not fall into either camp of leadership or management. Perhaps they fall into both: such as the ability to think strategically. Perhaps they fall into neither: such as diplomacy.

Chiefs are initially successful because they can provide a key skill to a key need. But what happens then? Over time, the key need changes. What happens when the chief is missing the key skill for the next key need? By periodic reviews of skills and needs, the chief can develop additional skills over time.

The prime indicator that a chief has reached this level is that they are more focused on their environment rather then focused on their organization.

The main goal of the chief as they approach this level is to ensure subordinate chiefs have all the skills necessary to be an organizational level chief. Their subordinate teams should have the responsibility and authority to take independent action.

Admittedly, it is difficult for a chief to be skilled in all of these items. Aids can provide strength to cover weaknesses. Coaches can identify emergent scenarios where the chief's skills are weak for an emergent need.

I would like to thank William Howard and others for commenting on Leadership v Management. I will be approaching my LinkedIn network for additional definitions of leadership.