Ben Morton, host of the Leader's Kit Bag, argues you need both leadership and management: leadership sets vision and inspires people to do the right things, while management builds systems to do things right. Drawing on his British Army background, he says a leader's job is developing people so they deliver results, and you have to switch intentionally between the two modes depending what your team needs.
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In today's episode of the Leader's Kit Bag, we're digging into one of the most persistent myths in leadership. That we need to choose between being a leader or a manager, that leadership is somehow better or more noble. And management, well, that's just the operational stuff, right? Well, here's the truth. Every effective leader needs to do both. It's not either all, it's both. And hey, I'm Ben Morton and I work with organisations and individuals to dramatically improve leadership capability, whether that's through tailored training programs, one to one executive coaching or keynote speaking at leadership events. So if you or your organization are looking to take leadership performance to the next level, feel free to get in touch. I'd love to explore how I can help. So let's dive into today's episode, starting with some definitions. At its core, leadership is about vision and direction. It's about inspiring people and pointing to a better future. As Stephen Covey once said, leadership is about ensuring people are doing the right things. Things. Management, on the other hand, is about execution and delivery. It's the systems, the processes and coordination. It is about getting things done through others and doing them well. Again, as Stephen Covey said, leadership is about ensuring we're doing the right things and management is about doing things right. The key point here is that organizations, and anyone in any sort of leadership or management position need both to be effective. Imagine for a minute a team with a bold, inspiring vision but no systems. No follow up, no delivery. That's chaos. Right? Now imagine a tightly run team with really efficient systems but no sense of purpose or shared vision. That's going to be hugely unengaging and unfulfilling. So as you can see, neither works on its own. In terms of definitions, you could spend an entire day looking at leadership definitions. There are just so many. So here's mine. I believe a leader's job is to support, develop and look after the people we have the privilege and responsibility to lead so that they can deliver the results we're accountable for. That belief was shaped by my first career in the British army and it's been reinforced ever since. I left the forces in 2006 and started working with business leaders all over the world. Now, whether you're in uniform or jeans and a T shirt, the principle holds, take care of your people and they'll take care of the results for you. Now let's put to rest the idea that leadership is somehow superior to management, because it's not. They're different, but equally important. If you're a team leader, you're probably spending more of your time on management, planning, tasking, running meetings, solving short term problems, for example. But that doesn't mean leadership isn't required, it just means the balance might lean more to towards managing. Now, if you're a senior leader, you're likely to be more focused on leading, setting the vision, influencing culture, aligning and creating strategy. But you absolutely still need some management muscle, especially when things wobble or the stakes are high. So hopefully you're starting to realise the key message here is, is this. Be intentional. Know when you need to be in leader mode and when you need to be in manager mode. If your team is drifting or losing focus, they might need leadership, someone to lift their heads and remind them of where you're going and what it's all for. If they're overwhelmed or just spinning their wheels, they probably need some management, more structure, clarity, support. You're not being inconsistent when you switch modes. You're being responsive, you're being an effective leader. So let me leave you with this. Please don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to be just a leader or just focus on management. Your role, whatever level you're at, requires both. The results and impact come from knowing the difference and moving between the two with clarity and purpose. That's it for today's episode of the Leaders Kit Bag. As always, look after yourself and look after those you have the privilege and responsibility to lead. Until next time, lead on.
