NINE TASKS OF LEADERSHIP PRIMER

Many respected authors have taken great pains to distinguish between leaders and managers. It has been said, “leaders do the right things and managers do things right.” This may be true conceptually, but if applied exclusively, we are at risk of making both the leader and the manager something they’re not. Effective leaders are proficient at managing both people and tasks. Likewise, great managers know how to lead people to accomplish outstanding results. John W. Gardner said, “Every time I encounter utterly first-class managers they turn out to have quite a lot of the leader in them.” Business benefits most when its best and brightest aspire to the art of being leaders and leader/managers.

Gardner has identified nine tasks of leadership in his book, On Leadership. Executing these leadership tasks requires management savvy, cultural intelligence and adaptability. Management savvy involves the leadership tasks of envisioning goals, managing and renewing systems and people. Cultural intelligence enables the leader/manager to affirm values, achieve workable unity and represent the group without personal agenda. Adaptability is key to leveraging the ever-changing business environment for survival and competitive advantage. The adaptable leader/manager creates an atmosphere where existing motives in team members is both unlocked and tapped for advancement of the enterprise. Leader/managers explain things by finding the words to inspire and focus everyone involved even in the toughest of times. They understand that people need an explanation of what’s happening and how it will impact them personally. The adaptable leader/manager serves as the symbol of the group. Michael Jordan, for example, was the embodiment of the Chicago Bulls and Jack Welch became synonymous with General Electric. The nine tasks of leadership are the pathway to leaving a positive leadership legacy and enjoying immeasurable success along the way.

For more on the Nine Tasks of Leader/Managers click here to download the complete article published in CHART, Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers.