| It has been said that the status quo cannot | | | | exercise with the understanding that the most |
| sustain itself. | | | | frightening outcome to any situation that I would |
| Let's accept that to be true for the purposes of | | | | experience in the future was to be the 'leader' |
| this article. | | | | who guided the team toward the 'wrong' |
| It's a timely topic for all non-profit organizations | | | | outcome. Please ponder this situation and apply it |
| (NPOs). Can leadership influence status quo? How | | | | in your own life. It was carefully pointed out that |
| about management? If we were to refer to the | | | | the appropriate combination (whatever that |
| Board of Directors and its Executive Director (ED) | | | | means) of 'persuasion' and 'knowledge' was |
| as 'The Management Team' (TMT) who would | | | | resulted in the winning edge. Hence, the critical |
| lead and who would follow? | | | | importance of maintained both at the same time. |
| Let's take a look at a reasonable way to | | | | How does a group go about 'choosing' a leader? |
| distinguish 'leadership' from 'management' but let's | | | | Actually, in my opinion, there are very few |
| also start with the premise that both are needed | | | | opportunities for us to do so during our lifetimes. |
| for any organization (even if, at this point, we | | | | Let's think of a number of real-life examples |
| don't even know what 'both' means) to be | | | | where we (the common 'we') have no particularly |
| successful. | | | | meaningful input into our 'leader' selection. These |
| Most people begin their professional lives as 'doers' | | | | include: (a) your place of worship - did YOU select |
| of some activity. (i.e. doctor, lawyer, engineer, | | | | the leader? (b) the large corporation where you |
| accountant, teacher, writer, artist, etc.) After | | | | are employed - did YOU select the leader(s)? (c) |
| demonstrating competency in a given set of | | | | your government - actually run by professional, |
| tasks, a person typically begins to move up the | | | | life-long bureaucrats - while YOU may have voted |
| 'management ladder' as a supervisor, manager, | | | | AND your candidate may have won - did YOU |
| director, administrator, mentor, etc. Usually, a | | | | really select the actual day-by-day leaders? |
| manager is expected to oversee a group of | | | | One of the true 'leadership selection' scenarios |
| people who execute various specific tasks. He | | | | that fascinates me is the grouping of twelve |
| she is expected to help the individuals render | | | | individuals to serve as a jury - by default, the |
| results that exceed what each could produce | | | | twelve are almost assuredly unknown to each |
| unguided and without a capable team. | | | | other - and the manner in which the head juror is |
| A common description of a supervisor or | | | | selected is fascinating. (Now, here would be an |
| manager includes overseeing the work that has to | | | | exciting piece of data collection that could yield |
| be done today and planning for the work that has | | | | interesting results...) But the point we are trying to |
| to be done tomorrow. It might even be said that | | | | make here is that there are relatively few |
| you can only manage what you know, especially if | | | | opportunities for any of us to choose our leaders. |
| we maintain a narrow definition that expects that | | | | But, I would suggest, we choose managers every |
| a manager will direct the specific output of team | | | | day. |
| members toward a specific goal that requires | | | | For example, as I write this article, an ocean pier |
| knowledge of the tasks to make | | | | is under construction. Somebody designed it and |
| course-corrections along the way. | | | | somebody is now in charge of getting it built. |
| We've grown accustomed to accepting that | | | | Typically, we call that person a 'project manager' - |
| 'managers' (as in the case of the highest | | | | there is a specific scope of work, timeline, and |
| organizational manager, usually known as the CEO | | | | budget - and that 'manager' must make it happen. |
| - or, in the non-profit world, the Executive | | | | Decisions - by the score - are made daily and |
| Director) can move about from one organization | | | | there is accountability. |
| to another, taking with him/her the set of | | | | So, again, how do we distinguish between |
| 'management skills' that can be universally applied | | | | 'managers' and 'leaders' - that is to be the |
| to any given organization. Let's take, for example, | | | | outcome of this article - so, how does this |
| the ED of any particular non-profit organization: | | | | happen? |
| haven't we witnessed the movement by EDs | | | | In the survivalist exercise, the members of the |
| from one NPO to another in our very own | | | | group did not know each other any better than |
| communities? Sure we have. For this 'movement' | | | | the members of a jury, so I think the analogy is |
| to be successful, it assumes that an ED need not | | | | reasonably pure. What emerged - inasmuch as I |
| necessarily know about the issues of the new | | | | recall - was the exhibition of sheer passion, |
| organization but, more importantly, must bring the | | | | determination, commitment, persuasion, and the |
| management success from the old organization | | | | unrelentless drive toward action. Above all - |
| (and have good people at the new organization | | | | absolutely above all - was the ability to inspire |
| who know the details). | | | | individuals to follow. I would suggest that this is |
| Has the assumed ability to shift organizations | | | | the appropriate (short) definition of 'leadership" - |
| served us well? Anecdotally, some would cite | | | | the ability to inspire others to follow. So, a 'leader' |
| positive examples and others would be able to | | | | was chosen. |
| point to negative examples. But, what does the | | | | Follow who to where? For what? And why? |
| data say? I don't know - I am not knowledgeable | | | | Given the above pier construction example, |
| of any comprehensive research that would | | | | somebody chose a 'project manager' - who, in |
| provide meaningful data, particularly for NPOs. | | | | this type of exercise - is responsible, accountable, |
| Accordingly, everyone who reads this article is | | | | and very much in charge. Respect? Doesn't |
| going to have to apply his/her own specific | | | | matter. Agreement in the project and the |
| community experiences to the notion of | | | | approach? Doesn't matter. A likable leader |
| 'management portability' as we further outline | | | | ('project manager')? Doesn't matter. You sign on |
| these concepts. | | | | for the job and the leadership/management |
| So, how (exactly) does a 'leader' differ from a | | | | structure is already set. You have no opportunity |
| 'manager' and how do we agree to distinguish one | | | | (and certainly no invitation) to question it. |
| from the other? Is one 'better' than the other? Is | | | | Question it? Are leaders allowed to be |
| one born and another acquired? Is one inspired | | | | questioned? |
| and another taught? Can a manager become a | | | | Ah, there-in may lay the applicability of non-profit |
| leader or can a leader never become a manager? | | | | boards to exercise proactive judgment between |
| Are the two mutually exclusive (which is what the | | | | management and leadership as they strive to |
| ultimate 'academic' question is really about)? It | | | | achieve superior outcomes. |
| seems we need some agreed-upon understanding | | | | Back to our article title - what are the 'status quo' |
| of the difference between the two (assuming, of | | | | issues that your non-profit must overcome? Is it |
| course, that you believe there really is a | | | | leadership-based or management-based. Is it an |
| discernable difference between the two...). | | | | 'either/or' or a 'both/and' opportunity? These are |
| I believe we have already done a fair job of | | | | issues worthy of your focus but not answerable |
| describing a manager in the paragraphs above. | | | | by any one article. However, again, please make |
| (Managers make things happen - on time, on | | | | sure you offer TMT of your non-profit the |
| budget, on schedule - within areas of specificity | | | | opportunity to work through the options. |
| that are well known to them and their team | | | | Few dispute that any organization can/should |
| members.) Now we need to focus on | | | | 'stand still' (i.e. status quo). However, in this |
| understanding what constitutes a 'leader' before | | | | economy, most organizations - especially |
| we can move the discussion forward. | | | | non-profits - would likely consider it a major |
| A useful approach to defining leadership (vs. those | | | | success to maintain status quo, at least in the |
| who 'follow' or those who 'manage' as directed | | | | short term. But, leaders (and managers) know this |
| from higher above) may lie in an exercise that I | | | | is not acceptable. All organizations, including |
| participated in during a month-long 'management | | | | non-profits, must take the opportunity to move |
| development course' (isn't it curious that the | | | | beyond the status quo and outpace all |
| course was not termed 'leadership' development | | | | competition. It can be done. |
| but 'management' development?). | | | | Arguably, this is what differentiates 'leadership' |
| Our group was divided into teams of about five | | | | from 'management' - and is an appropriate closure |
| or so. We were to be 'survivalists' and we were | | | | to this article. Leaders must look beyond the |
| given a list of about a dozen items of which we | | | | status quo - and the admittedly important |
| could choose maybe three or four to sustain and | | | | management skills of TMT - and chart a course |
| guide us out of the wilderness. In our assignment, | | | | that holds the likelihood for much success. |
| we were to discuss the issue, select the items, | | | | Disagreements can - and, particularly on non-profit |
| and report back to the larger group. I distinctly | | | | boards - should occur and be encouraged. Broad |
| remember two things from the exercise: (1) this | | | | participation should be sought by the board chair. I |
| was a real survivalist experience and there were, | | | | know an ED that firmly believes that everyone is |
| indeed, a correct number of items that | | | | a leader - everyone has influence (good and bad) |
| experienced survivors recommended; and (2) the | | | | toward outcomes in every organization - so it is |
| ultimate distinction was not so much what the | | | | critical to point that leadership energy in a positive |
| team picked (right or wrong) but how it came to | | | | direction. |
| agree on the items picked. | | | | From my point of view, I believe the messages |
| Perhaps this was the 'leadership' lesson... | | | | that we are currently being sent by various |
| As it turns out, we were in fact conducting a | | | | experts indicate 'leadership' over 'management' |
| 'leadership' exercise - not a 'management' | | | | (although I also believe you must have both to be |
| exercise. The point to be learned (at least for me | | | | successful) because it is recognized that all NPOs |
| - and I literally think about this point a couple of | | | | must find the 'next' way of achieving greatness - |
| times most every week) was how the team | | | | not just follow the current or former way. In that |
| came to agree upon the items picked. On the one | | | | regard, in those terms, the argument for |
| hand, the very best scenario was the emergence | | | | 'leadership' makes good sense to me. In order to |
| of a 'leader' that guided the team toward the | | | | jump-start such an important initiative (I am |
| selection of the exactly right items; the very | | | | definitely NOT talking about strategic planning |
| worst scenario was a 'leader' that successfully | | | | here), perhaps the Board Chair and the ED - or |
| guided the team toward the wrong selection of | | | | the Executive Committee and TMT - should |
| items. In the proverbial end, the successful team | | | | spend a couple of hours discussing options for |
| was alive and the unsuccessful team was dead. | | | | conducting a session devoted to future thinking |
| Both had 'leaders' - but only one prevailed. | | | | and new ways of doing things. Yes, this is |
| To this day, I recall coming away from that | | | | leadership - and - yes, it is needed right now. |