Warren Bennis and Joan Goldsmith* distinguish between managers and leaders as follows:
The manager administers; the leader innovates.
The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.
The manager maintains; the leader develops.
The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it.
The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
The manager relies on control;the leader inspires trust.
The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
The manager has her eye on the bottom line; the leader has eyes on the horizon.
The manager imitates; the leader originates.
The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is her own person.
The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.
Do you agree? Budding leaders need an environment in which leadership characteristics are not only tolerated, but encouraged. Does your organization make room for managers to grow into leaders? How do you nurture and support the development of the leadership characteristics above?
*Learning to Lead: A Workbook on Becoming a Leader. New York: Basic Books, 2003, p. 8-9.
Spiraling 