The difference between leadership and management is well documented in business and organizational articles but both components are critical for a supervisor’s overall success.

 

As an individual, think about the people you have reported to during your career. Each was probably different in their approach to work and relationships, with all having slightly different communication styles. Each may have solved problems, engaged staff, and demonstrated their influence differently. Differences – in perspectives, actions, and approaches – within the leadership/manager population is expected and necessary. While leaders differ, each is known mostly for a few key attributes they demonstrate consistently. One of your leaders may have emphasized productivity, reliability, and timeliness and were accountable for doing well in each of these areas. Another may have attended to these same areas but took a keen interest, or put more emphasis on, you – your growth, learning and work satisfaction. Having both types of leaders in your career helped you appreciate different leadership styles while they combined to shape your thinking as a supervisor.

 

Effective leaders and managers demonstrate the ability to help employees “see” and understand the meaning of work – specifically not only their own work but also the work their team accomplishes and work the organization as a whole must do to succeed. Understanding requires intentionality, time, and the recognition that an employee is much more than just a “pair of hands” to get work done and deliver results. Organizations do not hire machines, they hire human beings who are incredibly capable, innovative, and have emotions that can drive them (or deter them). There is no one “right way” to recognize individuals achieving the same objective. Consider the following:

 

Scenario 1: Upon retirement you were told how impressive it was that you worked 25 years with only 3 absences, produced over 25,000 widgets, and averaged quality ratings of 97% over your entire career.

 

Scenario 2: Upon retirement, you were told about the many lives your labor positively influenced with the medical devices you helped to build. You also heard a story about a particular patient (a fellow employee with your company) who spoke powerfully about the relationship she was able to have with her grandchildren because the product you put together saved her life.

 

Which scenario resonates more with you? Scenario 1 is demonstrated by many companies and supervisors who emphasize productivity and results. While not bad, it fails to speak to the other “side” of employee commitment and effort. It fails to speak about the Power of Purpose.

 

Scenario 2 sends a strong message about employee commitment and effort rather than “time and attendance.” It focuses on the meaning, impact, and influence of employee commitment and effort while demonstrating the value of work and why it truly “made a difference.” Many supervisors do not know how to inform and educate employees about the meaning of their work, so they (unfortunately) choose to simply not “go there” in their conversations. They feel that doing so is not necessary because that is the employee’s job…what they get paid for…that adults should simply do their jobs without expecting any other recognition (a thought expressed by a recent leadership workshop participant).

 

A Parable About the Power of Purpose

 

The story of three bricklayers is a multi-faceted parable that is rooted in an authentic story. After the great fire of 1666 that leveled London, the world’s most famous architect, Christopher Wren, was commissioned to rebuild St Paul’s Cathedral.

 

One day in 1671, Wren observed three bricklayers on a scaffold – one crouched, one half-standing and one standing tall – working very hard and fast. Christopher asked the first bricklayer, “What are you doing?” The reply was, “I am bricklayer working hard moving bricks around this job site. The second bricklayer responded to the same question that, “I am a builder. constructing a wall.” The third brick layer – the most productive of the three and the future leader of the group – replied (with a sparkle in his eye) that, “I am a cathedral builder creating a great cathedral that my children, grandchildren and entire community will use and celebrate for years to come.”

 

This story illustrates several key messages including the importance of:

 

Big Picture Thinking – Being able to see the end result and how work contributes to that end makes a difference.

 

The Power of Purpose – An expression of purpose transforms attitude and gives a higher meaning to work.

 

Attitude – A cheerful outlook, pride, and motivation in work exists when one can see how what is being done is but PART OF what is being accomplished.

 

Connection to the Organization’s Mission – Employees who are connected to the organization’s mission, vision, values, and goals are often happier, more engaged, and more productive than those only seeing their part of what is being done.

 

Leaders and Managers have an important opportunity to inspire and motivate their employees by using the Power of Purpose. Effective supervisors can infuse meaning and energy into what some employees may feel is the “daily grind” (the mundane parts if their job that contributes to boredom and a feeling that “nothing ever changes”) by helping them to understand their significance within the “big picture” of things. The motivational impact of the Power of Purpose and understanding the meaning of work can be profound. When paired with feedback, recognition, and praise, employees feel understood, appreciated, and valued. They recognize that their work has a broader (higher?) purpose and is much more than just “widget-building.”

 

Several of The Employers’ Association’s Leadership Training programs address the Power of Purpose approach and its importance in accomplishing objectives while helping to create an engaged (and invested) workforce. If you are interested in helping your supervisors more effectively balance their leadership and management skillsets, contact Ray Bennett (at  [email protected] or 616.698.1167) OR visit the Training section of our website (www.teagr.org) for more information about our Leadership Training programs.