Its not about Staff Management… we need to transition to Staff Leadership!
You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within. –Bob Nelson
All true leaders have enthusiasm. Whether you are leading your family through an airport, leading an expedition to the summit of Mt. Everest, or leading a new project team in an office, enthusiasm is the best way to obtain and retain support from those around you.
Leaders need enthusiasm to get others to follow them. However, being a leader is not the same as being bossy or being someone’s manager. Managers give directives and pass down marching orders. They are more likely to tell someone what to do instead of teaching them how to do it. In our personal lives, these types of people are often the ones who could be heard uttering “Do as I say, not as I do.” In the business world, many times these managers will be in their offices emailing out bureaucratic responses and cc’ing enough people to cover their tail and limit liability. In direct opposition, leaders pick up the banner and run ahead, urging the people around them to follow. These people lead through inspiration and through generating enthusiasm within their team.
Leaders seek to help others understand the objectives before asking people to follow their direction. Managers just want people to do what they are told. We’ve all heard parents give the “Because I said so,” explanation to their children. As this is sometimes necessary because children have not developed reasoning skills, it rings a very sour note for anyone who has spent too much time being fed these types of phrases. People who retain this type of attitude (outside of handling young children) do not appreciate how motivation and leadership could make their efforts much easier. It’s much easier and much more fulfilling to convince people that your cause is worth their support. Whether it is leading your friends to a new restaurant or being the captain a soccer team, people would much rather please a leader than take orders from a manager.