Leadership Substance, Style and Shadow 47Management keeps existing systems running smoothly. It
is a skill; leadership more an identity issue. Leaders innovate,
they change or modify existing procedures, and they focus
on transformation. Leaders motivate people through their
beliefs and values, pushing the edges of the current organi-
zational culture; management accepts the current
organizational culture and makes it work. Management gets
people to do things and leaders get people to want to do
things. Management works within boundaries and leaders
work with boundaries (not without boundaries!) Managers
are people who do things right. Leaders are people who do
the right thing.
The difference between management and leadership is
nicely captured by the story of two guides directing a party
of sightseers through a dense forest. One is busy with the
maps, finding the best route, pointing out the different sorts
of trees and generally keeping the party together. ‘Let’s keep
going!’ he shouts. ‘We’re on the right track.’ The leader,
however, has wandered off ahead and, after looking around,
has climbed a tall tree just ahead of the party. He looks out
over the landscape and shouts down, ‘Hey! We’re in the
wrong forest!’
Pacing in Organizations Leading in Organizations
Manager Leader
Seeks control Facilitates change
Keeps procedures going Makes new procedures
Does things right Does the right things
A set of skills A set of skills and an
identity
Mainly at the neurological Mainly at the neurological
level of skills level of identity
Administration Innovation
Get people to do things Get people to want to do
things by appealing to
values and beliefs