Are You A Leader Or Just The Boss

It takes more than a job title and a loud voice to get an agency team to function properly. This applies to owners, managers, and supervisors alike, says Jack Fries.

“Almost all American managers are so convinced that they know' why the people they manage behave the way they do that it never occurs to them that they could be wrong,” says William Glasser in his book, The Control Theory Manager. Like self-confident czars, bosses set performance standards, tell workers what to do, rely heavily on inspection, and compel people to do as they're told.

In contrast, leaders are more likely to generate high quality and high morale by following these guidelines:

Have Open, Ongoing Discussions. Leaders discuss with employees such topics as “how to reduce costs,” “how to improve quality,” and “what's needed for success.” Leaders talk — and they also listen — as do employees. In this way, leaders and employees become one team with common goals.

Show, Don't Tell. Leaders don't necessarily tell employees how to do a job. Rather, they show them how. Leaders demonstrate, rather than train. “I know what my manager expects,” explains an employee. “She showed me exactly how she wanted the job done by doing it herself.”

Downplay Inspections. Although bosses believe in tough, independent inspections of work, leaders abolish most formal inspections. Leaders should encourage employees to do their own reviews and report the results to the leader. This approach makes employees more responsible, and thus more accountable, for the quality of their work.

Focus on Constant Improvement. Leaders value improvement, and instill this value in employees. They provide employees with both the tools and support for improvements. The entire team focuses on “How can we do it even better?” rather than “We've improved a lot.”

WHAT'S YOUR STYLE?

Are you a boss-manager or a leader-manager? Check how many of these characteristics apply to you. As a manager, I:

1. Discuss with employees more than give them orders.
2. Actively encourage employee suggestions.
3. Show, rather than tell, people how to do their jobs.
4. Try to model good performance.
5. Downplay the independent inspection process.
6. Encourage employees to evaluate their own work.
7. Instill in employees the need for constant improvement.
8. Provide employees with the tools they need to improve.
9. Am friendly and non-coercive with employees.
10. Believe that blaming workers for poor quality is ineffective.

Seven or more checks show that you're a leader-manager.