Leading vs. managing.

• Author: Wiesner, Pat
• Position: Pwiesner@cobizmag.com

EVERY BOSS AT EVERY LEVEL WANTS TO BE CONSIDERED A LEADER. Yet most settle for being a manager, because they don't really understand the difference.

You manage people or the things that people do. A good manager gets results by making the project clear, assignments logical and rewards plentiful for those who get the job done. More pay, a better office or more responsibility: These are tools of the outstanding manager, along with skill for planning, organizing and directing.

Sounds like enough to be quite successful ... and it is.

But there is another level for those who will take the time to understand.

There are many kinds of leaders.

People worked for Genghis Khan because they were afraid not to, for Hitler because they were in complete awe of his apparent great. ness, and for Henry Ford because it was the best job they had ever had.

But a modern business leader -- how does he or she draw the best work, extraordinary work and loyalty out of normal people?

The difference is in the tools available to the leader. Basically, the No. 1 tool of the natural leader is the full trust and confidence of the people led: the confidence and trust that comes from knowing that your boss truly and honestly wants you to succeed.

If I know that you care as much about my success as your own, you will get my best effort!

Sounds easy enough. So how do we develop these kinds of relationships with people?

There are many ways and they are easy to write down, but they take a lot of effort to accomplish. They cluster around ideas like the following: LISTEN. Who hasn't had a boss who you never heard from except when he was telling you what he thought or what you should do? If we want to be admired and followed, we have to ask for and listen to the ideas of others. Accept them and make them part of the plan. Otherwise we end up leading a bunch of "yes men" who work for us because we control their paycheck, not because we are...