Are You A Leader Or Just The Boss?

"Almost all American managers are so convinced that they 'know' why the people they manage behave the way they do that it never occurs to them that they could be wrong," says William Glasser in his book, "The Control Theory Manager." Bosses, like self-confident tsars, set performance standards, tell workers what to do, rely heavily on inspection and use force to make people do as they are told.

Leaders are more likely to obtain the twin results of high quality and high morale. Leaders exhibit four characteristics:

Open, ongoing discussions. Leaders discuss with employees "how to reduce costs," "how to improve quality," and what is needed for success." Leaders talk, and they also listen. Employees also talk and listen. Leaders and employees, thus, become as one team with common goals.

Show, not tell. Leaders do not necessarily tell employees how to do a job. Rather, leaders show employees how. Leaders demonstrate rather than train. "I know what my manager expects," explains an employee. "She showed me exactly how she wanted the job done by doing it herself."

Reduce inspection. Many bosses believe in tough, independent inspection of work, but leaders can actually abolish most formal inspection. Leaders, should encourage employees to do their own inspection and report the results of these inspections to the leader. Employees become more responsible for the quality of their work, and they are more accountable.

Constant improvement. Leaders value improvement, and they instill that value in employees. Leaders provide employees with both the tools and support for improvements. The entire team focuses on "How can we do it even better?" rather than "We have improved a lot."

WHAT'S YOUR STYLE?

Are you a boss-manager or a leader-manager? Check all of the following that apply to you. As a manager, I ...

1) Discuss with employees more than tell employees.

2) Actively encourage employee suggestions

3) Show, rather than tell, people how to do their jobs.

4) Try hard to model good performance.

5) Downplay the independent inspection process.

6) Encourage employees to evaluate their own work.

7) Instill in employees the need for constant improvement.

8) Provide employees the tools they need for improvement.

9) Am friendly and non-coercive with employees.

10) Believe that it is ineffective to blame workers for poor quality.

Seven or more checks show you to be a Lead-Manager more that a Boss-Manager

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