Another great distinction between managers and leaders is how they deal with requests that come from up on high.
The typical manager will receive a request, process it, and then determine what has to be done to fulfill the order. This in of itself isn’t bad, assuming the request is reasonable. We’ve even programmed a lot of computer systems to act in this way. Receive and fill. When an unreasonable request appears however, or one that requires all current work to be stopped and attention to be re-focused, a manager will move heaven and earth to make sure it happens. Outwardly this may seem fine. The request is completed, and the higher ups are happy. The net effect though is a team that is behind on its current workload, and probably a bit burned out from having to put in many extra hours. And were they thanked for their efforts? Who takes the blame when the request cannot be met?
A leader responds in a different fashion. A leader understands the team, knows what they are capable of, and knows what can help motivate them. The leader has gained trust and respect over time by being the example, and always backing up their team. They also understand the business’ point of view, and the goals of the company. Rather than ask for favors, the leader fully explains the situation to the team, including what the request means for the company or the person, obtains a number of solutions, and heads out to negotiate. They represent their team, and use their political capital to find a win-win.
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