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The Leadership Management Scale

Guest post by: Robert Whipple

Article Overview: I often get into conversations with students about the difference between leaders and managers. I have written another article on this topic. This article suggests a visual sliding scale that can help you understand your natural tendencies on this topic.

The Leadership Management Scale

I think of the leadership - manager issue as a kind of sliding scale. On one extreme is pure leadership, and on the other extreme is pure management. We all operate somewhere on the sliding scale every day. We move from one point on the scale to another point based on what is going on and on our personal style. Let's be more specific on the metaphor. Suppose pure leadership is a 1, and pure management is a 10.

I may be writing an e-mail encouraging people to pay attention to our future in the actions we take today. While I am writing that note, my mind is operating at about 2 on the scale. I am having a bit of management thought because I am referring to current actions, but the thrust of my note is about following our vision, which is pure leadership.

I finish the note and look up to see a supervisor at my door with an issue. There is a person with a significant attendance problem that is out of control. I discuss what the supervisor wants to do. He asks for my opinion, and I offer my advice. Here I am operating at about 8 or 9 on the scale because maintaining control and following the rules is pure management.

Do you see how this works? All day we do things that are partially leadership and partially management. Now, I will share that my comfort zone is about 2-3 on the scale. That is where I would naturally spend most of my time if given the chance by circumstances. There are two important things to observe here:

1. Pay attention to where you are on the scale in any conversation or action. That will help you clarify your role.
2. Learn where your "Sweet spot" is on the scale. If you are a natural 8, then you need someone who is a 2-3 to balance you. If you are a natural 2, then get an 8 to help manage the place.

When coaching other leaders or managers, try to help them see where they are operating, because it can aid in the dialog. If someone is too near the edges of this scale for too long, that person may be operating with blinders on. Consider mental exercises to bring the person closer to the center of the scale for at least part of the time.

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Article Tags: email, extremes, Leader, leadership, management, manager, scale



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