Usually, if you are given a title like ‘Manager of Kitchen Facilities’ or for that matter ‘Sales Manager’, you feel empowered and elevated in your status within your organisation. That’s a fact.
I once worked for an organisation (sold to Dunn and Bradstreet) and the business owner was as sharp as a tack and turned up for work every day at age 80 for an 8.30am meeting every day.
I was the General Manager and one day he took me aside and said “now listen son, if you want to motivate your people do two things. Give them a title, and give them a goal.”
Those few words had a massive influence on me personally as I followed his advice and set about doing what I had to do. HE WAS A TRUE LEADER.
In my own lifetime, my Mum and Dad were TRUE LEADERS as they taught me values and the difference between right and wrong and why lollygobble blissbombs were bad for your teeth. And when I got sprung putting my mattress into the back of my EH station wagon to go to the drive in it was LEADERSHIP that prevailed and I hold those values dearly to this day. (loosten up – I was 18)
For me, I could count true leaders on one hand that I have had the pleasure of knowing or being associated with. So far, I have accounted for 3 leaders that have had a life shaping influence on how I think and conduct business today. So that leaves 2 vacancies although to be honest, one spot is taken and I want to keep 1 in reserve.
Getting back to the topic, true leaders have unique skills in as much that their mere presence can influence and excite others with little effort, motivate and encourage others to achieve goals, and those skills follow the true leader as they are personal and rare attributes.
On the other hand, a Manager (of anything) may have transferable skills through experience or educational achievements, and when he or she moves on to another role, the responsibilities of the job remain with the organisation now going through the costly on boarding process to maintain momentum and revenue growth. Not to mention rebuilding relationships and trust on every level.
I am no expert on this stuff, and I welcome any comments, and for what it’s worth, I do not consider myself as a TRUE LEADER.
Rick