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How Not to Lead

Written by: John Castagna

Article Overview: There are things you may be doing every day that undermine your ability to lead, if not -- eventually -- your position in your workplace. There are big differences between managing and leading. You can manage to hold back a flood but doing so doesn't mean you can lead the water to where it needs to go.

How Not to Lead

How Not to Lead There is an enormous difference between managing an organization or your own life and actually leading it. Managing is about numbers and masterminding things. Leadership is about people, about relationships, shared desire and contribution – enabling a feeling of meaningful influence. We’ve seen a few organizations lately that continue to run themselves as closed- door autocracies. It is a way to survive, at least for a time. But it’s how not to lead. Abraham Lincoln was the first great master of management by walking around – touching hands, listening, always putting ordinary people first. If you are overscheduled with meetings, if your staff hardly knows you, if your door stays closed a lot, you’re giving away the right to honestly call yourself a leader. As an individual, if you only travel with a small cadre that reinforce your opinions, you’re doing the same thing. Seek out people who don’t know you well. Seek out and listen to opinions and think about them – give them a fair shake -- before you decide on their worth. That will begin to enlarge your circle of respect. And whether you run an organization or a household, remember that leadership begins with personal behavior. Actions speak loudly. People remember long after you’ve been drunk in public, or take home millions while your company struggles – or the neighborhood you grew up crumbles. So, are you just managing? Or are you willing to do the work and lead? It’s your choice.

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Article Tags: abraham lincoln, autocracies, behavior actions, company struggles, desire, enormous difference, fair shake, household, leadership, lincoln, master of management, neighborhood, ordinary people, personal behavior, relationships



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