Adapted from an article in Leadership-Tools.com
Business coaching can help to determine whether you are more of a leader or more of a manager and assist in gaining the insight and self-confidence that comes with knowing more about yourself. The result is greater impact and effectiveness when dealing with others and running your business.
We are going to take a look at the business coaching techniques in assessing the different personality styles in leadership versus management, the attitudes each have toward goals, their basic conceptions of what work entails, their relationships with others, and their sense of self (or self-identity) and how it develops.
Last of all, we will examine leadership development and discover what criteria are necessary for leaders to reach their full potential.
Leaders versus Managers
Business Coaches look at the difference in personality styles between leadership versus management. Managers – emphasize rationality and control; are problem-solvers (focusing on goals, resources, organization structures, or people); often ask question, ”What problems have to be solved, and what are the best ways to achieve results so that people will continue to contribute to this organization?” are persistent, tough-minded, hard working, intelligent, analytical, tolerant and have goodwill toward others. Leaders – are perceived as brilliant, but sometimes lonely; achieve control of themselves before they try to control others; can visualize a purpose and generate value in work; are imaginative, passionate, non-conforming risk-takers.
Leaders versus Managers
They have very different attitudes toward goals. Managers – adopt impersonal, almost passive, attitudes toward goals; decide upon goals based on necessity instead of desire and are therefore deeply tied to their organization’s culture; tend to be reactive since they focus on current information.
Leaders – tend to be active since they envision and promote their ideas instead of reacting to current situations; shape ideas instead of responding to them; have a personal orientation toward goals; provide a vision that alters the way people think about what is desirable, possible, and necessary.
Leaders versus Managers
Conceptions of work.
Managers – view work as an enabling process; establish strategies and makes decisions by combining people and ideas; continually coordinate and balance opposing views; are good at reaching compromises and mediating conflicts between opposing values and perspectives; act to limit choice; tolerate practical, mundane work because of strong survival instinct which makes them risk-averse.
Leaders – develop new approaches to long-standing problems and open issues to new options; first, use their vision to excite people and only then develop choices which give those images substance; focus people on shared ideals and raise their expectations; work from high-risk positions because of strong dislike of mundane work.