Why some people manage, while others lead
Most of us become the kind of manager we’ve seen. Leadership asks for humility, trust and a willingness to take the blame. Every single time.
Read the articleLeadership stories from the worst manager ever
You can’t make someone follow you.
But you can become someone worth following.
The world has enough managers. What it needs are more leaders, and that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about.
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David Thompson
25 years leading IT teams
Hello, pull up a chair
I might be the worst manager ever. And you should be too!
My name is David Thompson. I spent 25 years leading IT teams, mostly in Higher Education, and for most of that time I proudly told anyone who would listen that I was the worst manager ever.
I meant it and was proud of it. You see, I was an accidental manager. The job was offered to me, I took it for the raise but I had no idea what I was doing. Then a senior leader told me they saw a lot of Emotional Intelligence in me. I said thank you, then went back to my desk and googled it, because I had never heard the term before.
That moment, the great leaders I began surround myself with, and a Leadership Academy that followed, set me on a different path. I stopped trying to be a good manager and started trying to be a better leader. My teams were more productive, creative and committed to each other, and my former team members still call me for advice.
I still call the great leaders from my past when I need some guidance. I have never called a former manager who wasn’t also a leader. Have you?
The difference
People work for managers.
People follow leaders.
Most of us become the kind of manager we’ve seen. Flip the switch to see what changes when you choose to lead instead.
Manager
Leader
- 1 Assign tasks and drive the staff Inspire, empower and encourage
- 2 “Get this done or it’s your problem.” “I’m sorry. This is on me.”
- 3 Formal check-ins in my office Honest talks at the picnic table
- 4 Follow the process Protect people’s dignity
- 5 Be the smartest person in the room Hire people smarter than you
Leadership is not a license to do less; it is a responsibility to do more.
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