Leading vs. Managing

A common misconception is that leadership and management are the same thing. Both imply that you’re the top of the food chain. In a technical sense, managers do lead, but at the end of the day, managing is still a synonym for dealing. Managers are dealing with the tasks that have been put upon them. Leaders, on the other hand, are actively looking to lead. Managing expectations isn’t a chore to them. Manager is a title. Leader is a mindset.

What separates these two terms? When you’re working with your team, it comes down to drive and tact. Your reputation and influence as a leader hinge on your ability to push your team onward and upward. This helps them exceed their own expectations and even become their own leader. Remember the old adage: “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” In other words, it’s one thing to show off your power. It’s another thing to use that power to empower. 

We take that step from manager to leader by taking action-steps that engage and encourage. People love weighing in, but hate following through, so encouraging your teammates to walk the talk is paramount to their success. This comes down to knowing them and knowing what individual buttons to push. For example, you can learn their love languages. That way, you can express your encouragement in a way that’s most accessible to them. When you highlight someone’s strengths, you inspire them. They’re more likely to access those strengths. 

This process will be different for everybody. Everyone starts somewhere, after all. From what I’ve seen amongst our Pure Romance Partners, good leaders exhibit consistency and communication. The same could be said for all businesses, in both a professional and a personal manner. 

The best leaders keep airtight meeting and party schedules. They engage across several formats (Facebook groups, events, lives, etc.). They regularly send reminders without overloading information.

Communication is also key during actual meetings and parties. Educate them on how they too can meet their leadership potential. Delegate tasks to certain teammates who have the skillset to stand out in that field. Form a game plan in person and have your team pumped to be part of something big.

While you’re at it, capitalize on your team’s presence with a personal touch. This is the fun part. Make these interactions worth everybody’s time with additional social gatherings. These can be leadership dinners, nights out, and more. Just last month, we had our annual World Conference. While a lot of good work got done, we still made sure to sing a karaoke song or two. Events like these are essential for team building. Rewarding your colleagues communicates your pride in them and boosts morale.

Big changes are happening in the coming months. One of those is the debut of our website’s Leadership tab. Before you click on it, you may ask yourself, “Am I leadership material?” Hopefully after reading this, you know that you are and you can always take steps to improve your leadership and help develop your team!