A Blog about Leadership

Michael E. Gerber 

Michael E. Gerber wrote the groundbreaking book, The E-Myth, as a discussion about the obstacles that entrepreneurs encounter in starting a business. One part of the book discusses three different roles in an organization – the technician, the manager, and the entrepreneur. Gerber assigns a definition to each of these roles with a focus on time.

Technician = Present

The technician is the one who is focused on the present – what needs to be now and what needs to be done next.

Manager = Past

The manager is the one who is focused on the past – what was done, how it was done, and how to improve how it was done.

Entrepreneur = Future

The entrepreneur is the one who is focused on the future – what can be done and what can be accomplished.

The Leader

There are leadership traits in each of these three roles, but one attribute about the leader is the encompassing of all three traits.

The Leader = Present

The leader builds on the ability of the technician to look at what needs to be done as an ability to get things done.

The Leader = Past

The leader also builds on the refined practice of the manager to learn from what was done to improve how things can be done.

The Leader = Future

The leader most closely relates to the entrepreneur in looking toward the future – where is the market going, what is happening in the economy, how will this affect the organization, and how should the organization prepare for the future.

The Leader’s Experience

Experience is the strongest attribute of the leader. The leader has experience as the technician working in the organization and has mastered the primary focus on determining what to do and getting it done. The leader is also experienced in management and possesses the ability to assess strengths and weaknesses of practices and procedures. And the leader is continually aware of what is happening for the future and is able to steer the organization on the best path for long-term success.

 You can get Michael E. Gerber’s The E-Myth here.

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You don’t have to be the smartest or, even necessarily, the best to rise to positions of leadership.

 Leadership quote from Peter Drucker:
“No institution can possibly survive if it needs geniuses or supermen to manage it. It must be organized in such a way as to be able to get along under a leadership composed of average human beings.”

1. Learn better management techniques:

There is a difference between leadership and management, but leaders need the skill set of a manager in order to complete the active job of leadership.

2. Organize and plan every project and task:

Even when you don’t have the time to plan, the critical element of continuous success is planning - put some cognitive power behind your tasks.

3. Delegate through empowering your people:

The members of your team will respond to the tasks that you delegate if they are constructive to their desires to participate in the team - use that desire.

4. Always seek improvement:

Continuous improve leads to continuously getting better; what ever measure you assign, whether effectiveness or efficiency, be a change agent and seek improvement.

5. Move past mistakes:

Sorry, your not perfect, but good news - no one is!  Just follow step number 6.

6. Never make the same mistake twice:

I don’t want to advocate beating yourself up over a mistake, but make certain the lesson is learned and the problem is mitigated.

7. Pay attention to the little things:

At the end of it all, the details are the weakest links that cause most of the problems - pay attention.

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I have often heard the terms used interchangeably, but there is a difference. Beside the definitions of the terms, there is a real, practical, and meaningful differentiation.

Management is planning and organizing projects and operations, allocating resources to minimize costs and maximize benefits, directing practices and procedures, establishing controls to measure the effectiveness and efficiencies, and motivating subordinates. Management is concerned with present activities and the immediate results of those activities.

Leadership is more abstract when considered separately from management. Leadership is guiding a person or group toward the best results. It is having sound understanding to determine and ability to articulate visions and goals. Leadership is in par with management, but takes on precedence for strategic management and long-term success.

Stephen Covey used a ladder to illustrate the difference between leadership and management in the book, 7 Habit of Highly Effective People. Management is concerned with getting up a ladder in the most effective and most efficient manner. Leadership is making certain the ladder is on the right wall.

I have also heard management is focused internally within an organization or group, while leadership is focused externally toward the industry and the market place. However, you chose to define the difference, when you understand the difference, you will be a better manager and better leader.

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