Deconstructing Leadership Vs. Management: Understanding the differences and demystifying ‘professional success’
Jamal Temirova
Must good managers always aspire to become good leaders? Is traditional upwards mobility the only path to succeed professionally?
A roundtable discussion was facilitated with our team of mentors focused on deconstructing ‘Leadership Vs. Management’ with Jamal Temirova, CEO of The Growth Spark. As an entrepreneur with experience as a manager and leader ranging from Fortune 500 to startups, Jamal’s insight offered a fresh perspective to the conversation. After working for big technology companies like SAP, Business Objects and Xerox, Jamal founded The Growth Spark with more than 20 years of proven success across enterprise software, hardware, and services. Her team specializes in Digital Transformation, Project Management, and Product Management. It offers a new way for our clients to meet their ever-changing needs for talent by accessing an untapped talent pool of working mothers.
Terminology
Harvard Business Review defines management as controlling a group or a set of entities to accomplish a goal. In contrast, leadership refers to an individual’s ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward organizational success. Simply put, management is goal-oriented, whereas leadership focuses on developing a culture.
Career Trajectories
Interestingly, Jamal does not see leadership and management as roles necessarily leading one to the other or the former more important than the latter. From a business standpoint, the vision and its execution are equally crucial to progress and development.
Is it aspirational to become a leader? Is it a professional necessity? Jamal brings in her expertise and observes that this particular idea of professional success is the traditional form of acceleration in many organizations that still follow a 1960s model of vertical growth.
People want to succeed in their industries within the integrity of their authentic selves. Not everyone aspires and intends to manage people or lead teams, departments, or organizations. They are driven by something inherent and instinctual. In many companies, cultures have evolved and allowed various options for professional development that are non-managerial and non-leadership roles.
Becoming No. 1 Vs. Being the Great Executor
Responding to a question, Jamal commented that once one asks why they are on a particular track and where it is leading them, they can make better-informed decisions. She strongly believes there is nothing wrong with being a follower; it is not equivalent to failure, and specifically praises the contributions of the #2 in the grand plan. She reflects on some cultures, the process of becoming #1 and anything less than being at the top as a measure of failure.
The #1 simply would not exist without the support of a #2!
What one is good at vs. what they should be doing is not necessarily the same. Jamal notes that forcing oneself to become a leader, or being a manager, only does more damage in the long run to one’s own growth and development. It is why so many struggle and often burn out.
If everyone is a leader with a plan, who gets to follow and execute?
She discusses their evolution and the very distinct manner in which careers develop. In a traditional company by design, following chain of command guidelines is strongly encouraged, and great executors have successful careers in such settings. For example, one does not want a public service employee to become creative with an immigration process. The process has specific steps and must be followed. On the contrary, leadership at every level is fostered in entrepreneurial environments, where everyone is encouraged to take initiatives within their areas of expertise. It enables one to hone their leadership skills earlier in their careers and learn on the job, including making mistakes and taking risks.
Born Leader – Trained Manager?
Most can learn the process and become better managers. However, not everyone wants or has what it takes to become a leader. The work culture of today tends to glorify leaders. The question is: if everyone leads, who is to follow? An interesting paradox though; to be a good leader, one must be a great follower.
Who Wins?
Both! Best leaders have a relevant vision and unite the collective around the execution; managers translate that vision into the outcome that each employee can contribute towards.
Today you define what success means to you and not some prescriptive “career progression” map. Are you a leader, a manager or both? What would your best friend, who has known you for many years, say if you asked them this question? What if you were that best friend yourself? What would you say when asked this question?