The difference between leaders and managers

Michael Gove, UK Secretary of State for Education has suggested that soldiers facing redundancy should be encouraged to take up teaching and help address discipline issues in the classroom.

While there is of course, political expediency behind this idea – aimed at softening the blow of military job losses, I believe there is some merit in the plan. Not just because of the potential effect on pupil behaviour – but because the public sector badly needs leaders. And many individuals who are natural leaders are attracted to a military career. Their leadership skills are then honed and put to test in extreme circumstances. Good training for a leadership role in the NHS I wonder?

The NHS employs thousands of managers. Some join with management experience, some achieve well-earned promotion and some work their way up till it’s their turn for the management pay scale level. Many NHS managers are excellent, some aren’t. But they are not leaders. Yes – there are also a few good leaders within the NHS, but not enough. Visionary and energetic leadership in hospitals, commissioning consortia and the care sector are going to be our best chance to move the state funded health provision forward.

Every organisation needs both leaders and managers. Successful organisations have great leaders supported by focussed managers. When the lines become blurred progress can be compromised. So what is the difference between a leader and a manager?

The obvious - a leader leads and a manager manages: ‘Hands on leadership’ is only of value in certain contexts. As a rule – leaders should show the way forward and provide the vision while managers create and implement the action plans required for each objective.

A leader has a vision for the long term view: Managers have to deal with the ‘now’, while keeping current activity within long term strategy. The leader sets the clear direction while the manager plans the detail.

Integrity: A desirable quality whoever you are, but transparent integrity is vital for a leader as it sets the tone for the organisation or facility that he or she leads.

Discretion and detachment: A manager can get away with sharing some tasty titbits of organisational gossip with their staff. A leader should never expose himself to that risk.

Leaders have followers, managers have subordinates. Interestingly – you follow a leader by choice, you report to a manger out of necessity.

Charismatic and inspirational: Essential for a leader, but a good manager can still perform their role well without these qualities. In a perfect world, we would want all our leaders to be charismatic. True leaders, while approachable and cordial, should still have that air of ‘difference’ – not indifference or superiority, but that ‘je ne sais quoi’ quality of authority and focus.

As John Quincy Adams, the 6^th US President said ‘If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader’

Just what the NHS needs. So - Andrew Lansley (UK Secretary of State for Health), just as your counterpart in education is considering 'fast tracking' redundant soldiers to become teachers - how about a healthcare leadership scheme for the ex-military too?

How important are role models in the workplace?

There has been much discussion over the recent looting and criminality taking place in many UK cities. I refuse to say ‘rioting’, because I suspect that these low-lifes are actually not politically motivated or even rioting against anything in particular. This is (to quote one of my facebook friends) ‘opportunistic theft and vandalism. A breakdown in family, morals, discipline and respect has held a generation back’

Well said. Politicians have been banging on for several years about ‘family values and ‘role models’ and it would appear that those swept along on a tide of violence and inhumane behaviour must be lacking suitable role models in their troubled lives. Sadly, I suspect that some of these ‘feral rats’ (to quote a shopkeeper who lost her entire stock) may actually have been previously reasonably well behaved, captivated in the moment, and lacking suitable structure or discipline at home.

Many of the England football team have spoken out individually against the violence, some with eloquence, some not. (Wayne Rooney’s tweets had some spelling errors, but hey, the sentiment is genuine I’m sure). Some commentators have mocked this initiative, especially as these sporting role models have been well known for bad behaviour on and off the pitch. But I applaud them for trying and even if their words persuade just one young person to stay at home and avoid trouble, then their efforts have not been wasted.

Various current social problems are blamed on a lack of suitable role models in pockets of society. Even the great philosopher, Aristotle's idea of ethical behaviour ‘relies substantially on the effects role models have on people. Aristotle believes that we learn to be moral (virtuous) by modelling the behaviour of moral people’ (William F Lawhead)

So does this principle apply to the workplace too? Of course it does.

I have written previously how leadership style flavours the culture of an entire organisation. Likewise, suitable role models at every level of the workplace hierarchy can have a highly positive effect on individual achievement and growth. In the same way that a good teacher can frame a pupil’s attitudes for the future, a good boss or benevolent mentor can be life changing.

I found this great definition of a role model: ‘An individual who is looked up to and revered by someone else. A role model is someone who other individuals aspire to be like, either in the present or in the future. A role model may be someone who you know and interact with on a regular basis, or may be someone who you’ve never met, such as a celebrity’

Many years ago, I worked with a charismatic doctor who was the chief executive of a healthcare company. In my opinion, she had everything – she was (and still is) charming, compassionate, highly intelligent, gracious, ambitious, professional, commercially minded and a great leader. I have always aspired to be like her and on some occasions have even felt I could emulate her. I adapted my style to mimic her – non confrontational but with steely resolve. I don’t always pull it off but this approach works more often than not. I was also fortunate to have great parents, an amazing grandmother and many workplace soul mates along the way who continue to guide my path.

One of the major issues affecting wellbeing at work is lack of guidance, behavioural benchmarks and aspirational goals. In the NHS, I feel this is particularly crucial. If a ward sister has a bad attitude, often the rest of the staff may follow suit. Likewise in any other organisation,  if a Chief Executive appears to be concentrating solely on budgets, and their own PR, why should the senior management team behave any differently?

The American Theologian, Tyron Edwards once said ‘People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher and better than themselves.’

You don’t have to be in a senior management position to be a good role model. You don’t even have to be employed. Whether you are a parent, sibling, boss, friend or colleague – be aware. Your attitude, actions and words may have a much more significant and far-reaching effect than you realise.

How do you spot a toxic corporate culture?

"Organization culture is like pornography; it is hard to define, but you know it when you see it." Ellen Wallach (health adviser to the democrat, Jerrold Nadler)

You would have to be living in a bubble in the UK at the moment to miss the blanket coverage of the closure of the News of the World newspaper, in the midst of phone hacking and bribery allegations. A word that keeps cropping up among commentators and distressed employees is ‘toxic’.  One of the 200 plus staff members who have just lost their job accused  Rebekah Brooks ‘…You’re making the whole of News International toxic..’

How can you define and recognise a toxic corporate culture?

There are many complex descriptions including ‘One with which behaviours which poison, are disruptive, destructive, exploitative, dysfunctional and abusive are pervasive and tolerated’ (Michael Walton, Fellow in the centre for leadership studies University of Exeter))

I have a more simplistic handle on this problem:

A toxic culture in an organisation creates an environment that can damage the emotional, physical or financial wellbeing of employees, customers and those associated with that organisation.

How does a toxic corporate culture develop? The cause of this negative environment in a company is ultimately down to leadership. Even if the leadership team has not originally created a problem, if they allow it to continue or turn a blind eye, they are ‘enablers’

Here are some of the causes of a toxic corporate environment:

Authoritarion or bullying leadership: If the head of the gang is a bully, then those who flourish or profit from this environment are likely to be bullies too. A leader who is authoritarian may not actually be a bully, but expecting total obedience has the same effect. No room for creative thinking, a culture of fear and subservience. Not healthy. This type of leader often creates a team of ‘henchmen’ (or women!) to ensure that his or her wishes are complied with. The effect that this type of management has in the health and wellbeing of staff is well documented.

Competitive, win/lose environment: Win/win is good, win/lose is bad. An environment where good work is rewarded and the introduction of well designed incentive and recognition programmes can have a significant effect on company growth and morale. Some leaders from the ‘divide and conquer’ school can create a deeply unhealthy atmosphere where power struggles, especially among management teams, are rife. This unhealthy competition spreads to the rest of the employees and create a divisive, unhappy workforce.

Weak leadership: Show me a parent who doesn’t discipline their child from an early age and I can show you an unruly adolescent! Leadership is in so many ways like parenting and employees need guidance, boundaries, affirmation and censure where appropriate. Unchecked bad behaviour within one division can spread to other divisions. A charismatic manager who creates an exceptionally successful and happy culture within their division can, unwittingly, create disruption if their boss cannot demonstrate equivalent leadership qualities.

Dishonest/corrupt: No need to say much about this. The root of this culture is based in ambition and greed. Hollywood has created many stunning movies demonstrating toxic environments at their worst. As Gordon Gekko famously said in Wall Street ‘Greed is good’ (but for those impressionable souls reading this – please note – he ended up in prison!) The Firm and Erin Brokovich are also great examples.

Change averse: Leaders and leadership teams who are averse to change can create a stifling environment where innovation and creativity are discouraged and pandering traditionalism is feted. The good thing about organisations such as these is that they are unlikely to survive!

So what can you do if you recognise any of the above? The subject of another blog I think. But in the meantime – if you work for an organisation with a toxic environment – try to leave. If you lead one – try to change. And if you are offered a job with one – run for the hills!

This posting is dedicated to the employees from the News of the World who have lost their jobs. I know that most, if not all, of you are innocent of the sins allegedly perpetrated by your predecessors and bosses and I wish you all the best for the future. Choose your next employer well.