| Isn't it strange that when we try to commend people | | | | organisation should banish. Managers (in the sense of |
| at times it backfires in the most unpredictable ways? I | | | | the term I use) are destructive to the real purposes of |
| found it rather perplexing just recently when I sent an | | | | growth and fruitfulness of any organisation. |
| email commending a certain manager to his | | | | True leadership is about growth. It's about motivation, |
| supervisors and system owners, praising his good | | | | inspiration, and triumph, both when things are going well, |
| qualities against the more 'average' qualities of others, | | | | and against adversity. People want to work for real |
| in contrast. The problem was the manager's | | | | leaders. These are people who will listen and don't |
| supervisors wanted to pick the eyes out of the | | | | need to be heard. They are interested in teamwork -- |
| 'contrasts' rather than just celebrate the fact that this | | | | and not just about teamwork in their own team; they |
| manager had performed well -- in essence, they gave | | | | have much broader, holistic vision. Leaders move, while |
| out to the opportunity to 'grow' this sort of behaviour. I | | | | managers talk and complain. |
| found it personally disenchanting. Suddenly I was found | | | | Real leadership is transformational in most, if not all, |
| justifying basic facts and left somewhat disillusioned as | | | | lives it touches. It achieves the transaction as required |
| to the act of commendation in the first place! | | | | -- no more, no less -- but fills the persons working with |
| For mine, this is the classic management vs. leadership | | | | it with a want for more. So, leadership's about people. |
| paradox we find in our day, in any day for that matter. | | | | People want to be fruitful; by virtue of the visceral |
| Why do we count the staples on a document instead | | | | sense of accomplishment -- once we know this |
| of addressing the real content? Why do we complain | | | | euphoric feeling, we cannot help wanting to explore |
| of complexity in our world and simultaneously push for | | | | more growth and spiritual achievement. Quintessentially, |
| fault in everything we see? Managers (by role, if not | | | | leaders either extract this from people and enliven it, or |
| by character) are, by default, not good leaders. They | | | | awaken it -- a lovely, powerful monster for everything |
| don't see the real wood for the trees, so intent are | | | | good. |
| they about detail -- petty and unimportant detail at that; | | | | So, what's missing? People who're managers miss the |
| take words for instance. Managers love to 'wordsmith.' | | | | golden kernels of truth when they go down the |
| Leaders on the other hand seek the positive things | | | | nit-picking line. They should learn to express more faith |
| they can learn from and grow. They know that truth | | | | in others by being less defensive, and having a broader |
| lies in the gold of reality. Reality makes a difference | | | | vision of "team". Everything in life that we do with |
| because it speaks to everyone, more or less. Leaders | | | | people should be an inspiration -- there's no excuse |
| inspire. They're about growth and immensity. You don't | | | | really for anything less. |
| see people shrivel with good leadership; on the | | | | Most of all, leaders don't punish people for suggesting a |
| contrary, apathetic people tend to work for managers; | | | | commendation... |
| can you sense the blight I attach with my use of the | | | | Copyright © 2008, S.J. Wickham. All Rights |
| term 'manager'? I would hate to be called a manager. | | | | Reserved Worldwide. |
| It's a banal and growth-harming term that every | | | | |