Great Managers
The false dichotomy of “leader vs. manager”
The problem with the “leader vs. manager” dichotomy is that it does everyone a disservice. It casts leaders in the role of disconnected visionary. And it reduces managers to the role of pragmatic administrator. It gives each side permission to ignore the responsibilities of the other.
Keep asking yourself these questions
How do you know if you’re a successful leader? Former Herman Miller CEO Max de Pree says the evidence of success is found in your team, not in you. Here are some good questions to ask: • Do the people on my team understand their potential? • Are they actively learning and growing? • Are […]
The manager is dead. Long live the manager.
Our ears pricked up when we heard that Zappos had decided to do away with managers and job titles. The idea is to distribute power more broadly, increase accountability, and get rid of all the bureaucratic layers that can make companies feel corporate in the worst possible way. The underlying intent seems spot-on. But let’s hope Zappos still finds a way to preserve the best of what great managers do (even if they no longer call those people managers).